Neverender
by SenseiKiwiAndLloydGarmy
Summary: *AU* Crushed under the Serpentine's power, the people of Ninjago live their lives with their heads down, fearing the very people who should be in charge of their protection. Now is the time for change. As an escaped slave longs for strength to fight against the darkness, a lionhearted blacksmith searches for others to start a long awaited rebellion. Rated T for freedom.
1. Lower Than Dirt

Chapter 1-Lower than dirt

A sharp kick on the ribs. Lloyd fell against the wooden floor, his skinny arms easily giving away. His cheekbone throbbed as he hit the floor. Ignoring the pulsing soreness spreading throughout his body Lloyd moved back onto his hands and knees. With as much dignity as he could muster, he reached for the wet sponge and began scrubbing the dirty floor once more.

"You were supposed to be done with this _hours_ ago! Stupid slave! You're not worth half of what I paid for you." His master's voice boomed through Lloyd's ears. The young man kept his head low, knowing eye contact would only make things worse. The kick came again. Without reply, Lloyd returned to his original position. "You'll be sleeping outside today! Stupid boy. . ."

His master's footsteps retreated. Lloyd heard the sliding door slam closed. A sigh of relief escaped his dried lips. Without hesitation, Lloyd continued to scrub away the coat of dirt and dust that covered the floor. Maybe, maybe if he finished fast enough he wouldn't have to sleep outside.

There was an iron ring around Lloyd's neck, a mandatory dress code for all slaves. That way, chaining them together as they were being sold would be easier. To Lloyd, the ring served to remind him that as long as he wore it, he was nothing. Slaves were replaceable. He was worth less than a piece of bread.

Lloyd had been born into slavery, like countless other men and women. He had been sold three times in his life. Each master had been worse than the last. But to the young, green eyed man, it didn't matter. Lloyd did as he was told and kept his head low. He endured all the beatings, all the insults, and all the jobs. He was determined to survive.

He crawled over to a dirty iron bucket, and looked down into the water. His dirty reflection started back at him. Lloyd soaked the sponge with the liquid, then waited for it to settle, so he could see into his own eyes once more. "Tomorrow's the day. Tomorrow we'll be free. I promise."

Once finished, Lloyd carried the bucket outside. He dumped the dirty water onto the dirt, where it would be soaked up by the plants around it. After returning the sponge and the bucket to a small shed, he walked inside, making sure to brush away the excess dirt that clung to the bottom of his feet. Following the scent of cooked food, a scent that caused Lloyd's stomach to feel sickeningly empty, the blonde haired slave found his master. Keeping his head bowed, he approached the large bellied man.

"The floor is clean, Master." Lloyd's tone was soft and respectful. After living under the cruel gaze of his owners for seventeen years, Lloyd had learned how easily offended most people were. Speak too loud, and you would soon feel the burning slash of a whip across your back. "Is there anything else Master desires?"

"Nothing for now. Just get out of my sight." Lloyd's master waved him away. "And remember, you are sleeping outside tonight."

A sigh almost escaped him. So Lloyd's cleaning hadn't been fast enough. It rarely was.

"Yes Master," Lloyd returned to the outside, sitting on his usual spot behind his master's house.

Lloyd's eyes scanned the area, making sure he was alone. The houses all around him were dark. The only light came from the moon's light, giving the world around Lloyd a tender glow. Satisfied under the cover of the darkness, Lloyd moved away a loose board from the house's foundation. Reaching inside, he retrieved his most priced possession.

The last book in the land of Ninjago.

When the Serpentine had risen, under the iron fist of Emperor Pythor, all books had been destroyed. Centuries of history had been lost in one night. Anything that had not been written by the hands of Serpentine had met its end that night. Even though Lloyd couldn't have been older than four, he could remember everything perfectly. The smell of burning paper. The suffocating smell. The terrifying way that the flames rose, reaching towards the heavens like the arms of a hungry demon. And, worst of all, the screams of teachers and writers, burning to death along with their words.

The book was golden, with the drawing of a emerald snake eating its own tail. Lloyd opened the book running his dirty hands through the letters spread through the first page, wondering what each of the scribbles written in ink meant. Slaves were never taught to read. He turned the pages, stopping at the first sketch he found.

_Hypnobrai._

Lloyd knew quite a lot about this type of Serpentine. They ruled over the north of Ninjago. In fact, Lloyd had once served as a slave for one of the inhuman creatures. Their large eyes sent chills through his back. But worst of all were their hypnotic powers. Lloyd had seen the way the Hypnobrai controlled the minds of slaves and made them fight to the death for their entertainment. Friend murdering friend, father murdering son. And it was all just a game to them, just another way to pass the time. Lloyd shook the memories away, and turned the page to the next sketch.

_Fangpyre_

These Serpentine ruled over the east, building their temple in the center of a dark Hēisè forest. Lloyd didn't know much about them, except that one bite from their sharpened fangs could turn anyone and anything into a Serpentine. The very thought of it was terrifying. It was one thing to lose freedom to this new empire, but for someone to lose their humanity itself? Lloyd turned the page.

_Venomari_

The swamps of the warm south were led by these green scaled Serpentine. It was said that their venom would drive anyone to insanity. Lloyd had never seen one of those Serpentine personally, but plenty of his masters had sent him to buy bottled Venomari poison to destroy their enemies. He turned the page.

_Constrictai_

The Constrictai were the strongest of the Serpentine. They didn't have any special powers, and they didn't need them. Their tails were strong enough to crush anyone's bones in seconds.

Every Serpentine was terrifying in their own way, with deadly and dirty tricks always hidden well up their sleeves. Yet there was only one that inhabited Lloyd's nightmare's. He turned the page.

_Anacondrai_

There was only one left in existence. Emperor Pythor. It was said that he had murdered his own people in order to rise to power. The scales from which his skin was made of could blend with any surface, giving him the power to turn invisible at will. Which meant that he could be watching anyone, at anytime. Emperor Pythor held power over all tribes, and had his palace in the center of Ninjago's land.

Lloyd turned his head. Large upon the horizon was the shadow of Emperor Pythor's palace. A chill ran through Lloyd's body, goosebumps rising at the back of his neck. Feeling as if he were being watched, the blonde haired boy threw the book back into its hiding place. After one last nervous look around his master's small back yard, Lloyd laid back against the hard ground.

* * *

**First chapter down! I hope you guys like it. Me (TombRaiderNinja) and KaitouKiwi are writing the story together. Please review and tell us what you think!**


	2. On the Run

Chapter Two: On the Run

_Clang._

The sticky, humid air from outside seeped its way into the room through the slightly propped windows, bringing the promise of yet another monotonous day. Nothing ever happened anymore. _They_ would not allow it. As much as he completely loathed every moment that the world existed in its current state, he always tried to keep his thoughts quiet. What say did he have in anything anyways? He was only human after all.

_Clang_.

That was the issue though: he was human. A lowly, yet highly disposable, member of society, living in a constant state of dread and fear. Well, perhaps "living" was not quite the right way to put it. "Existing" was much more fitting. The term "living" insinuated that there was still a bit of joy and freedom in one's life. There was little of either to go around now.

_Clang_.

Had there been any joy when his mother lay incapacitated in bed, growing continuously sicker with each passing day? When he and his sister had gathered all of the spare money they could find, leaving to try and find an apothecary willing to part with some medicinal herbs? No. He gave a slight scoff, remembering the faces of the people that had turned them away in an hour of need. No one was willing to just give something to a couple of kids asking for help. It was not _their_ fault that they could not afford what they needed, but no one was willing to turn a blind eye. Cowardice was a disease worse than the one his mother had passed from, affecting more people than he ever thought could be possible. It was all because of those serpents.

_Clang._

Had there been any freedom when his father was forcefully taken from him, drafted into an infantry that was set to invade and conquer the northern kingdom of the Hypnobrai? No. He had not been more than ten at the time, remembering perfectly the look of anguish upon his remaining parent's face as he was forced out the door by a Venomari soldier. It was always easier to incorporate humans into war. They were inferior after all, a dime a dozen compared to the Serpentine. If he had been old enough back then, he was positive they would have taken him too. Who would have raised his sibling then? A slight shiver ran up his spine at the very thought.

"Kai, you've been hammering the edge of that blade for too long," sighed a soft voice, wafting in from the doorway. "Look how bent it is now."

Blinking hard, he managed to bring his focus back to his work, gripping the iron hammer in his right hand tightly. Unfortunately, the kind voice had been right: the blade he had been working on for days was now bent awkwardly downwards, dipping over the edge of the anvil it was resting on. Lucky for Kai, the blade had only been part of a personal project and not for a customer. "Thanks for telling me, Nya," he sighed, laying the hammer down on a workbench and roughly tossing the thick, leather gloves that had adorned his hands on top of it.

Poking her head around the slightly buckling door-frame, Nya shot her brother an understanding smile. "Is there something on your mind?" the girl asked softly, tucking a few strands of dark hair behind her ears. Kai glanced over at his sibling, noticing a small glint of concern in her chocolate brown eyes. Rubbing the back of a marginally calloused hand across his sweaty forehead, Kai shook his head in response, wiping the perspiration promptly onto a nearby rag. "Well, if you're absolutely sure then," Nya finished, her face a mask of indiscernible emotion.

"What brought you back inside?" Kai questioned, lifting a tanned apron up and over his head, the strip of leather that formed the neck strap gently grazing the tips of his spiked hair. "I thought you were just going to walk around and take a look at any new merchants or travelers that had set themselves up in the market." Nya was always wandering around the town. When they had both been younger, it had terrified Kai. His sister has always been a bit feisty and Kai thought she would do something to anger the Serpentine inhabitants. Thankfully, they had both learned quickly to keep their mouths shut tightly. It was the best way to avoid any type of punishment or even becoming a person of interest in Emperor Pythor's eyes. Kai had seen it happen to other villagers. Anyone who seemed to show even the slightest hint of a rebellious attitude was taken away, locked in a dungeon, no doubt.

A tinge of red dusted Nya's cheeks as she slowly entered the room, fidgeting slightly. "I-I was watching a man set up a small tent near the center of the market, but he was having some trouble with it. So, I offered to help him," the dark haired girl started, a small grin pulling at the edges of her thin lips. "He tried to politely decline my offer, but I ended up helping him anyways."

"Is there a point to this story or do you just want to talk about boys?" the brunet teased lightly, his eyes noticing Nya's face flush a deeper shade of red. Kai smirked and haphazardly tossed the heavy apron on to the already crowded workbench. "I know I'm not the best person to talk to when it comes to boys, and I know you probably wanted a sister instead of me, but I can handle it. So how dreamy was this guy, huh?" Kai chuckled as Nya roughly crossed her arms over chest. So she really _did_ have her undivided attention on this new traveler in town. Well, this guy would just have to watch his back because maybe there would be a katana sticking out of it one day.

"Yes, there's a point to this story," Nya huffed, leaning her back against a small, wooden shelving unit that held an assortment of hammers, tongs, and raw materials that her brother would eventually craft into an array of weapons or other implements that customers asked of him. The wrought iron and ore almost glared at her in the filtering sunlight. They actually had not had a real costumer in a while. If anything, it was usually a serpent requesting some type of sword or dagger. Blacksmithing had always been the family business, but in the current state of things, Nya sometime wondered if Kai was actually hurting more than helping. No doubt his crafts were used in ways that would make a sane person cringe. "The man is a shadow puppeteer, isn't that neat? I mean, who doesn't enjoy hearing a good story every now and then? Maybe he'll move here permanently and then there will actually be some entertainment around here." Nya noticed her brother's lack of enthusiasm and gave a long drawn out sigh. "He told me that the tale he tells most often is _that_ one. You know, the one mom used to tell us when we were younger?"

He felt his face pale drastically. "He can't be here then," Kai stated plainly, immediately heading towards the door. "He'll cause a bunch of trouble for everyone and the last thing we need right now are the Serpentine breathing down our necks." The blinding light of the sun disoriented Kai slightly as he made his way through the front door of their quaint shop. Villagers were walking quietly down the streets, some stopping at the occasional hut or tent to peruse objects for sale. No one ever bought too much. Money could be very scarce. Hearing Nya's labored breath approaching from behind, Kai slowed his quickened gait and allowed her to catch up. "Okay, maybe I sounded too rash back at the shop," he whispered, light brown eyes scanning the streets ahead for any sign of snakes. Everything appeared to be calm at the moment, which was both a blessing and highly unusual. "I just...is this guy really dumb enough to go around performing the story mom used to tell us? It was stuff like that which led to the book burnings when we were younger, remember?"_  
_

Nya nodded quickly, slipping her left hand into her brother's right one and taking the lead. "He was over this way," she remarked, taking the two of them down a more narrow street that was devoid of anyone else. "I never thought about it like that before. I mean, I was just so happy that there was going to be something fun in town for at least a little while. H-He could end up getting thrown in jail or something!" Kai resisted the urge to roll his eyes at how worried his sister sounded about this guy she had only talked to for a few short moments. "Maybe even worse than jail now that I think about it. The story was banned after all, wasn't it?"

As they neared the end of the street, the two siblings burst into a wide open area. Patched up tents were set up around the area with traveling peddlers looking to sell some of their wares. This section of the village was much more crowded. Unfortunately, some of those occupants were Serpentine. The most commonly found snakes in this area were the Venomari since the village set nestled along the border of the southern kingdom. Granted, there were worse serpents to tangle with, but Kai was not in the mood to get on their bad side right now. "Just take us to where he is," the brunet breathed, nonchalantly digging the toe of his boot down into the packed dirt beneath them. Nya guided them towards the center of the area where a badly faded blue tent sat. A small breeze blew through the area, rippling the fabric of the sorry looking tent and delivering the sour smell of the Toxic Bogs along with it. "Well, let's not waste anymore time."

Separating the two flaps of fabric that seemed to act as a door, Nya and Kai slipped inside the tent. Despite there not being too much room inside of the small space, there were several children sitting upon the dirt, chattering excitedly. A thin, cloth screen sat towards the back of the tent, wavering and twisting light visible through it from the backside. Kai chuckled, wondering how many candles the puppeteer was using the help him cast the shadows. As suddenly as this thought crossed his mind, a hush befell the children and a chipper voice from nowhere started reciting a sentence that was all too familiar to the blacksmith. Memories of his mother tucking him and his sister in to bed relentlessly flooded his mind, pulling him back into the past.

* * *

_Long ago, the land of Ninjago was at peace. Humans lived with one another in harmony, working together to build a better future for one another and their children. However, nothing can stay perfect forever. As towns and villages formed, the darkness that lay dormant within the hearts of everyone started to come to light. Friends turned on each other, violence stemming from greed propelling normally kind people to act upon their every negative thought._

_Then, _they _came._

_Rising from the ground came creatures unlike the people of Ninjago had ever seen. Reptilian beings that could walk and talk just like any other person could, but they were ruthless; over-taking the towns and villages with their drastic numbers, these "Serpentine" quickly rose to power, striking fear into the hearts of the humans who had fallen far from their good intentions. Some people believe that these snakes were sent as punishment for the sudden change of the peoples' intentions, but instead of fixing the situation, the Serpentine themselves became greedy. They enjoyed this newly found power they had over the humans far more than they should have._

_It is said though, that humanity could be saved from the spiraling events that caused their oppression. The Creator would eventually choose four people to be his messengers, children born of nature's pure elements, to find and protect the one individual, the Golden Master, who could free humanity permanently and send the Serpentine fleeing back underground._

* * *

A burst of applause and giggles erupted from the children in the audience, bringing Kai out of his memories. He could still see the shadows of the intricately laced and decorated puppets up upon the cloth screen. A large, burly puppet with a slightly golden hue to it stood in the middle with four puppets kneeling around him. The slightest bit of a tear trailed down the blacksmith's face as he remembered his mother and he glanced over, seeing a wide grin spread across his sister's face. At least she had enjoyed herself for a few moments. In fact, he himself had almost forgotten about everything in the world around him while the puppeteer had been telling the tale.

"I wanna be the Golden Master!" a little boy laughed triumphantly, running from the tent with his friends following closely behind him. "I'm the Golden Master! I'm the Golden Master!"

Suddenly, anxiety gripped Kai's heart. "Nya, can you go kind of talk with those kids? I don't want to see them being punished for anything." Nya nodded and quickly left to follow the kids. A giddy chuckle sounded from behind the cloth as the shadows of the puppets disappeared. A man with disheveled auburn hair poked his head out from behind the cloth and gave a grin. The blacksmith felt his lips set to into a hard frown at the man's obliviousness. "Hey, do you have any idea what you're doing, telling this story?"

The puppeteer's face fell and his hazel eyes grew wider. "I-I, uh, am just spinning yarns for the kids is all," he answered softly, ringing his hands nervously. The long sleeves of his blue shirt were fraying along the length and Kai could tell he'd probably been traveling continuously for a while now. "L-Look I don't want any trouble or anything, I promise. I just like seeing how happy stories can make people sometimes. You know, especially if it's a tale of hope during a time...like _this_." He let out a shaky breath, his eyes resting squarely on Kai's hip.

Confused, the brunet glanced down and noticed the short sword he always carried with him holstered at his waist. "I'm not here to hurt you," Kai sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'm a blacksmith, making blades is kind of what I do." The expression of the puppeteer softened and Kai watched as his posture relaxed. "I'm not a guard or a 'bad guy' or whatever," he continued, crossing his arms over his chest. "You do realize how much trouble you can get in for telling this story right? It's _banned_, doofus."

"Ah ah ah," the man tutted, grinning. "My name is Jay, not 'doofus'". A small fit of laughter erupted from his throat as he seemed to be laughing at his own poorly constructed joke. "Like I said before, I'm not trying to cause problems or anything, just give people a little hope."

A little hope? Mentally taking a step back from the situation at hand, Kai gave the puppeteer's words some extra thought. Could he really blame the guy for trying to spread a little extra spirit to other people? Of course not. When he was younger he could remember pretending to be the Golden Master himself, playing with the small swords his father had crafted for him and vanquishing sandbag Serpentine. That was back when he thought he could actually make a difference when he grew up. Now, here he was, grown up and slightly lacking the rebellious energy that had kept him going throughout most of his life. Perhaps burying it deep down had not been the best course of action to take. Nothing would ever change without breaking a few rules, without taking a few chances. Maybe, just maybe...

"You won't have to worry though, Mr. Blacksmith," Jay stated plainly, working swiftly to fold up the fabric he performed behind for each show. "I'm a bit of a drifter because I know how risky what I do is. I'll be out of your hair soon enough if you're so against it, heading out to the next little village to try and cheer someone, _anyone_, up a little bit." There was a strong hand gripping his shoulder and Jay glanced behind him fearfully, not noticing that the blacksmith had moved so suddenly. Had he been lying? Was he actually going to hurt him? Despite his better judgement, the puppeteer stared fearfully at the sword which was, surprisingly, still sheathed. "I-I don't know how many times I can say that-"

"I know, 'you don't want any trouble'," Kai sighed, feeling exasperated. Releasing the stronger than anticipated grip on the auburn headed man, Kai took a few steps back, giving him some space. "I actually think what you're trying to do is pretty great." The sincere shock in Jay's eyes caused the blacksmith to smile instinctively. Nothing could ever begin to change unless some sparked a fire. It was time to be the spark. "You've obviously got the enthusiasm to go around and knowingly break the law just to give people something to wish for. Now," Kai smirked, quickly pulling his blade from its leather holster, the aging wrought iron appearing dull in the low light, "I have a sword. You don't know me, and I certainly don't know you, but I think you know what I'm trying to say." Kai let his words hang in the otherwise empty air, expecting the puppeteer to mull over them for a brief moment.

He felt all the blood drain away from his face. "You're trying to say you're going to k-kill me?" Jay asked hesitantly, his voice unwillingly rising an octave.

Resisting the urge to just immediately walk out of the tent at that very moment, Kai inhaled deeply, trying to subdue his temper. "No," he answered slowly, between clenched teeth. "Maybe we could work together to start a rebellion. No one else is really doing anything about what's going on, but maybe _we_ can try." Jay's seemingly alabaster skin flooded with color once more and he just gave a small nod in response. "So, is that a 'yes' then?" Kai inquired, raising an eyebrow in confusion. He extended a hand in friendship, trying to really put the puppeteer's nerves to rest.

Could he really trust this blacksmith guy? He _seemed_ genuine enough, but Jay had been traveling by himself for a while now, so he was finding it hard to faithfully place his life in someone else's hands: a partnership. It was like he had said, neither of them knew anything about the other. In fact, Jay did not even know the guy's name. The hand stayed extended and, relying more on his naturally carefree attitude than his learned suspicious one, Jay gratefully shook the blacksmith's hand before finally finishing packing up his supplies. "Alright then," he smiled, feeling that he had made a good choice and, possibly, even a good friend. There was something about this guy that just felt, right. He was a genuinely sincere person and he wanted to try and fight for freedom. "I'm not much of a fighter, but I guess we can try and do this."

"Leave the possible fighting to me," Kai chuckled, thrusting the blade forward and causing Jay to scuttle off to the left fearfully. As the puppeteer regained his composure, and managed to slip the pack he kept his supplies in onto his back, he gestured for them to start leaving. "I guess I can help you take your tent down if you want me to. I mean, my sister is the one who helped you put it up earlier." At these words, he noticed Jay blush deeply, clearing his throat before exiting the tent and holding the fabric door open for Kai to follow. Ducking underneath of the fading cloth, the blacksmith roughly bumped into Jay's back. "Um, can we move it, please?" he huffed, moving around Jay and suddenly stopping.

Two green serpents stood before them. One had a slightly smaller, rounder head. His bright green scales covered every inch of his body as he gave a soft hiss. The other was a bit taller, the darker scales on his head contrasted greatly against the lighter hued ones on his abdomen, four piercing yellow eyes were narrowed dangerously. "Hello," the taller one grinned, small fangs protruding downwards from his upper jaw. "We've just come to check up on some reports of illegal activity happening at this tent. Several villagers have recounted the same story, so we're inclined to follow up on it." Kai held his breath for a moment, watching the smaller Venomari move a hand towards one of the maroon colored pouches slung across his abdomen; pouches full of extra venom.

Not even processing what was happening, Jay felt himself being forcefully dragged away from the snakes in front of him. Blinking hard, the puppeteer focused on the hand that was gripping the sleeve of his shirt unrelentingly. The blacksmith continued on ahead, his heavy boots thudding hard against the ground. "If you could kind of run too, that would be pretty helpful!" he called back sarcastically. Jay just nodded, glancing over his shoulder to see the two serpents pursuing them. "Run, Jay!"

Just giving into instinct, the puppeteer shot forward, feeling his legs take him across the ground. Kai still gripped onto the man's shirt and struggled to keep his footing as the two effortlessly glided across the dirt. This guy...he was unbelievably quick! "Turn down whatever street you feel like when you can," the brunet shouted, focusing more on not tripping over himself than exactly where they were heading. As long as it was away from any snakes, Kai was absolutely fine with that. Without warning, Jay took a sharp left, grinning wildly as he looked back to see his new friend's almost sickened face. Well, maybe he could slow down in a little bit, but not until he was completely sure they were safe from harm at the moment.

_Crash!_

Bodies collided forcefully as Jay tried to slow his pace to no avail. The blacksmith and puppeteer groaned, very disoriented, as a mysterious voice growled something. "Why don't you look where you're going?" Kai propped himself up on his elbows and looked straight into the amber eyes of a very annoyed man. His raven hued hair hung in his face, clinging to his forehead with perspiration. Quickly getting to his feet and brushing off his faded, black shirt the man opened up a leather satchel that was draped around his shoulders, inspecting its contents furiously. "You could have broken some of my wares," the man complained, sweeping his bangs out of his face. "Money just doesn't fall out of the sky, you know. I have to _sell_ this stuff."

They were wasting time! If they stayed here any longer they were going to be caught! Jay was glancing around nervously, his eyes pleading with Kai. The blacksmith finally got to his own feet and tried to move around the man they had run into, but he continued to block his path. "Oh no you don't," the stranger scoffed, crossing his arms roughly over his chest. Kai could see the toned muscles of his arms through the thin fabric of his shirt. If they ended up in a brawl, this guy could probably take him down with no problem. There was no time to stand here and argue or anything, and Kai was not feeling particularly apologetic at the moment. Without thinking, the brunet grabbed the man's satchel and took off with Jay by his side. "Give that back," the guy complained, hurrying to follow the two thieves.

"Why did you do that?" Jay asked, turning briefly to see the guy following them. "He looks like he could beat us to a pulp!"

Kai could feel his breathing growing more labored as he raced down the street. "Well, if we had stayed there with him, the Serpentine would have caught up with us," he tried to explain. "Plus people can be pretty nosy. He's already been seen with us, so he's probably better off just sticking with us anyways. It might actually be safer for him _and _us." Watching Jay just shrug understandingly, Kai listened as the man's protests sounded behind him, signaling that he was still following. Maybe he would be willing to help them when they got the time to explain what was actually going on. Either that or he would probably kill him. Only time would tell.

* * *

The twin, marble doors of the room opened inwards slowly, allowing two lowly Venomari to enter. Glancing around nervously, the taller one took a knee and bowed his head as his partner followed suit. A loud clap thundered through the room and both serpents stood tall once more. "Sir, there was a bit of an incident today in Ignacia Village," the taller Venomari stated, trying to keep his tone of voice calm. "A couple of men were telling stories, sir. Stories about the Golden Master and the Messengers of Legend. We attempted to take them in for questioning, but they fled, sir. By the time we could even see them, they were but specks on the horizon, escaping with another accomplice."

A condescending sigh floated down from the large throne that sat towards the back of the obscenely large room. "Dear, this is a problem now, isn't it?" Rising from the gleaming throne, a violet serpent with a large, winding neck slithered down the stairs that raised a portion of the room off of the main floor. A deep, red carpet embellished with flecks of gold acted as a pathway for the Anacondrai. "I just wish that there were more competent snakes out there to catch a threat when there actually is one," Emperor Pythor hissed, causing the two Venomari to flinch. This was what always seemed to happen: his lackeys and underlings always seemed to bumble around when it came to people who could be actual threats. It took a certain kind of person to openly tell forbidden stories.

"No need to worry about this issue anymore though," Pythor smirked, his red eyes gleaming hungrily in the bright lights of the throne room. "I think I may have someone that is actually capable of stopping this possible threat." Waving the two Venomari away, the Anacondrai turned around swiftly and headed towards a small hall that led to a room off of the throne room. The lights in the room automatically activated as Pythor's cold-blooded signature was recognized. "I've been wanting a reason to use you for a while now," the emperor chuckled lightheartedly, approaching the only object in the room. Opening a large panel, the inner mechanisms of a mechanical object sat idle until the serpent flipped a single switch, causing them to whir to life. "Now, I know that _you_ will actually be able to put a stop to these law breakers," Pythor said, tightly closing the panel and watching as the eyes of his perfectly crafted war machine opened and flickered to life.

"Yes," the android answered in a monotone voice. "I will not fail you, master."

* * *

**Howdy, it's me, Kiwi. Still hope you're enjoying our thing because TombRaiderNinja and I are really digging this story so yeah.  
Reviews and thoughts are always welcome, and thanks for reading. :)**


	3. Cold blooded eyes

Chapter 3- Cold blooded eyes

When Lloyd woke up, the sky was still dark, and there was no sign of the sun's welcoming light. His body had easily grown accustomed to sleeping no more than five hours, as he had lots of chores to attend to before his master woke up. For someone like him, oversleeping could be deadly. Many of his friends been beaten to death thanks to one, annoyingly small mistake. One slip up is all it took.

He quietly stepped inside the house, making sure to shake away all the dirt from his hair and clothes before entering. The house was dead quiet, making each of Lloyd's movements painfully loud to his ears. He couldn't wake up the master.

With expert hands, Lloyd began his routine, cleaning every inch of the kitchen. It all had to be done in silence. For the young man, it was almost like training. He traveled on the balls of his feet, walking through the wooden planks light as a feather. He was a ninja, traveling along with the cloak of darkness on his back. Masterfully skipping over the planks he knew would creak and give away his presence.

Lloyd began to mop away the small bits of dust and dirt that had decided to rest on the wooden floor. In the young man's mind, the floor was like a battlefield. He pretended that every bit of dirt was one of his enemies, and it was his job to wipe them out silently. Lloyd swept the mop to the left. Then to the right. The mop flowed smoothly throughout the floor, guided by Lloyd's scarred hands.

Except it wasn't a mop anymore. It was a sword. The metal was sharp enough to slice through rock itself. It was made of gold, allowing Lloyd to blind his dark enemies with a flash of pure light. The sword gave Lloyd strength, making him the greatest warrior in all of Ninjago. He could hear people chanting his name, praising all of his heroic deeds. It was as if-

_Thump!_

The fake world Lloyd had created shattered into nothingness. He froze, standing in silence, praying that his master had not been awakened by the sudden sound. After a few minutes, Lloyd's heart beat returned to normal, and his rapid breathing became tranquil once more. He turned to see that his master's wooden calender had dropped onto the ground. Nothing was broken. Lloyd sighed in relief. He gently placed the calendar back to its place. Out of habit, his green eyes slid down to the current date.

The young man's stomach dropped. It was the third day of the serpent's month. The date of the Offering Ceremony. Or, as Lloyd liked to call it, feeding time.

A large chasm surrounded Pythor's palace. Standing on the edge and looking down, all anyone could see was neverending darkness. That was one of the reasons the most simple villagers would refer to it as the bottomless chasm (wonder how many brain cells _that_ took, Lloyd thought) but the nobles that lived close enough to participate in the Offering Ceremony knew better. It was the lair of the beast.

They called it the Great Devourer. Every third day of the month, each noble house was to bring a basket of food to the chasm, in order to keep the beast well fed. Ten slaves would be randomly chosen and fed to the beast, along with any law breakers that were currently inside the imperial prison.

The whole ceremony was nerve racking.

After finishing up with his chores, Lloyd hurriedly made the offering basket. Usually he would have it ready the day before, but lately his mind had been drifting away, getting lost in his fantasies. Something inside Lloyd was changing, making him restless. Being restless caused him to be sloppy.

Being sloppy could cause him to wind up dead.

Which was why it was imperative that he escaped. But not today. Not on the day of the ceremony. If he escaped now, when the guards were doubled in numbers, and merchants swarmed the streets, it would be seconds before he was caught. Perhaps tomorrow would be a better date.

_Tomorrow. I always tell myself tomorrow. _Lloyd sighed, stepping out of the house, his body slightly hunched over due to the basket's weight. _Will I ever say today?_

Green and purple banners were spread throughout the street. Slaves from other houses filled the streets, carrying baskets that resembled Lloyd's own. The young man kept his eyes low, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. The sun was slowly rising in the horizon, its rays playing with the different shades of gold in Lloyd's hair, making him want to shrink into himself. No one in the whole village had golden hair. It brought far too much attention to him. And in a world ruled by the Serpentine's hands, attention was the last thing Lloyd wanted.

By the time Lloyd had placed his basket along with the others, the nobles had already surrounded the chasm, sitting upon wooden stands that had been made for the ceremony. Lloyd spotted his master, with extravagant clothing wrapped around his large body. Not wanting to be anywhere near him, Lloyd trotted to the other side of the stands.

He instantly regretted his decision. He was now standing right beside Emperor Pythor's personal stand. Lloyd tried to retreat, but he was surrounded by a large mass of people. Trapped in place, Lloyd bent down, retrieving some dirt from the ground and rubbing it against his hair, slightly darkening the golden color it emanated. Ignoring the strange looks from the people around him, he repeated the process. Better to be safe than sorry. With his hair now cloaked in dirt, Lloyd could blend a bit more with those standing around him.

Tentatively, Lloyd turned to where Emperor Pythor was sitting. The snake's purple-scaled face was studying the crowd, his elongated neck stretching far above anyone else. And for a brief second, the emperor's cold blooded eyes connected with Lloyd's.

With a deep blush spreading throughout his cheeks, the young slave looked down, while his heart attempted to violently jump out of his skinny chest.

"My people," The emperor's voice almost made Lloyd jump out of his skin. It was far too close. Lloyd was sure the purple Serpentine had found a way to slither behind him. Yet when Lloyd looked back up, the Serpentine was in the same place as before. " Today, is a very special day for us. It is the day that we keep our Great Devourer satisfied. We sacrifice the food from our mouths in order to stop the beast from attacking our land, and eating everything and everyone in it!"

"Every one of you should be thankful for this date." The emperor continued. "If it weren't for today. . . If it weren't for the chasm we, the Serpentine, created as we emerged from the earth, the beast would have been free to destroy all of your lives. So take a minute to remember how much you owe us, how much you depend on us."

A silence spread throughout the crowd.

_We owe you nothing. _Lloyd thought, once again imagining the golden sword. Imagining himself slaying the cruel emperor and freeing his people. He shook his head. Better to keep those dangerous thoughts out. He was a nobody, and nobodies didn't save the world.

"And now. . . Let the ceremony begin!"

At his command, all of the baskets were thrown into the chasm. The sound of them hitting the ground never came. All that echoed from within the rock was a strange series of blood curling shrieks.

Two Serpentine pushed a shaking man forward.

"This man, represents disobedience." Pythor growled. "We Serpentine are understanding creatures, but rule breaking must be dealt with accordingly. He was found breaking into Doctor Zhu's house. Stealing medicine for those who actually need it. Use for personal pleasure, no doubt."

The man was now shaking with sobs, as the Serpentine stopped him by the edge of the chasm. "No please! The medicine was merely for my daughter! She is very sick, emperor, and I couldn't make enough money to-"

The man was pushed forward. His screams didn't last.

"And now, ten brave slaves will be sacrificed to keep us safe." Emperor Pythor explained. "Because, as everyone knows, those below must always sacrifice themselves in order to keep those who matter out of harm's way!"

_That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. What do you think happens if you take the foundation out of someone's house? _Lloyd shut his eyes tightly, trying to erase the rebellious thoughts.

The first slave number was called. 340. Lloyd's tense body relaxed. He was safely sitting in the five hundred's, and the Serpentine never called numbers out at random. They always picked a number then counted upwards from there.

341. An old man stepped close the chasm. Lloyd could see that this was more of a release than a punishment for the man. He didn't even need the Serpentine to push him in.

342. A younger man this time. He attempted to run away. But the guard's crossbows were ready. They always were. The man didn't make it far.

343. There was a loud scream. 343 Was a tall, brown haired woman. She was on her knees now, begging for mercy.

344. 345. 346. All male. All young. And all weeping helplessly as the guards forced them forward.

347. Lloyd's eyes widened. It was a small girl. Couldn't be older than five. The cold blooded guard's threw her in without hesitating.

348. Another woman. She cried louder than anyone else. A sickening feeling spread through Lloyd at the unmistakable bump on her stomach. She was pregnant.

349. A girl about Lloyd's age. She attempted to run. Just like before, multiple arrows were embedded into her chest before she made it past five steps.

350. It was a young woman. But there was something different about her. She stood tall, not crying not screaming not fighting. Upon reaching the edge of the chasm, she turned to face Emperor Pythor.

"You can keep feeding us to this monster of yours, _Emperor_ Pythor." The woman shouted, spitting on the ground as she muttered the name. "But you can't stay on top forever. The Golden Master _will _rise. And then it'll be _you_ who will beg for mercy!"

The guards pushed her into the chasm.


	4. Banding Together

**Kiwi here. Just a small prelude here, my apologies. So, like, we try to do our research as thoroughly as possible and for this particular chapter, since most of it took place in a jungle, I wanted to try and explore different wildlife that is canon within the Ninjago universe. So, yeah, the few things I describe are canon. They don't all necessarily exist near one another or in the proper regions they existed in canon-ly, but this is an AU so, eh. Want a full map of this AU region? Check out TombRaiderNinja's deviantart page. :)**

* * *

Chapter Four: Banding Together

He was not completely sure how much farther he could go. The extra weight of the angry man's leather satchel had been taking a bit of a toll on him, the strap yanking hard on Kai's left shoulder as he followed Jay aimlessly across the land. It had actually been very smart on their part, running from Ignacia Village in the direction of the Hou Jungle, which engulfed most of the bottom half of the southern kingdom. Unfortunately, his stamina had been deteriorating much quicker than Jay's and the shadow puppeteer continued to trudge onward despite the foliage growing more dense. Glancing back over his shoulder, the exhausted blacksmith noticed that the merchant was no longer following them. _Well, guess all this stuff belongs to me now,_ Kai thought tiredly. "Jay, he's gone," the brunet called out, bringing his focus back to the barely visible path ahead. "H-He's gone..."

Compacted, dry dirt met Kai's face with an unpleasant smack and he coughed as a plume of dust floated upwards before dissipating into the muggy air. Groaning, Kai managed to twist himself around and get back on his feet, discovering the reason for his sudden plummet. One of the buckles that secured his thick boots had managed to come undone and had snagged on a gnarled root that had invaded outwards from the dark green mess of vegetation. Rolling his light brown eyes, the blacksmith took a knee, successfully securing the buckle before brushing himself off completely. When he positioned the satchel across his shoulder once more, Kai started his journey again, but froze only seconds later.

He had lost sight of Jay entirely now.

"Idiot," he muttered under his breath, scanning the unkempt dirt path feverishly while hurrying his own gait. Sure, Jay seemed to be a quick fellow, but he had clearly been tiring too. No one could just continually walk forever, let alone run. They needed to stay together, especially now. The jungle was a perfect place for the serpents to hide and try to create an ambush. Especially in the southern kingdom, full of Venomari. They could blend right in with the variety of green vegetation and strike at a moment's notice. Feeling an involuntary chill travel down along the length of his spine, Kai hurried along, right hand gripping the hilt of his sheathed weapon tightly while the left kept the merchant's satchel close to his side. Why he did not decide to just throw the items into the depths of the trees was beyond him. Kai just could not bring himself to do it. "Come on, Jay, you couldn't have gone far," he said through clenched teeth, slowly becoming aware of how tense he was. This area just did not seem safe at the moment.

A rustle of large leaves off to Kai's left caused him to jump back for a moment, unsheathing his weapon and holding it arms length, the barely filtering sunlight through the dense canopy playing off of the tip of the metal blade. The blacksmith's jumbled nerves were immediately set at ease when he noticed the large, puffy tail of a familiar brown creature poking its head up and out of the small bush. Sometimes squirrels were really stupid creatures, always sounding like they were larger animals waiting to strike from afar. Kai cracked a small smirk as the squirrel turned its beady, black eyes on him. "Ya gave me a scare," he chuckled, placing his sword back into the holster around his waist before turning back towards the path.

Soft laughter floated on the unusually stale wind and Kai's eyes widened. It sounded familiar, like Jay's laughter. _He's closer than I imagined, _the brunet thought thankfully, pressing on. As the path before him grew even more wild, the flora reclaiming it as part of the jungle, the laughter started to grow a bit louder. Maybe Jay had noticed that they had become separated and had decided to just wait for him to catch up. In the brief time he had spent with the auburn haired puppeteer, Kai was not sure if he would fully think of something like that. Then again, he had been traveling across the entire land presenting his puppet shows. He was not a complete idiot or else he would have been caught already. Following the laughter, Kai eventually managed to find the source and became slightly dismayed.

Grouped together, close off of the lone strip of path that remained, sat unusually colored flowers, contrasted greatly against the dark green patch of wild grass they emerged from. Bright blue and violet hues were a welcomed sight, but Kai recognized the species immediately. Very Wild Flowers, a virtually useless piece of flora if he had ever read about one. The bulb of said plant could produce guttural noises similar to giggles or chuckling. What their point for existing was, the blacksmith could not say, but he was becoming frustrated that he had actually thought Jay would have just been sitting in the forest, waiting for him. "I am never gonna find him," Kai growled, throwing his hands up in defeat.

"Gotcha now."

The rough bark of a nearby tree was all Kai could see as his body was pushed up hard against it. Attempting to fight off the person who was detaining him, the blacksmith managed to drop the leather satchel into the thick grass below him and heard a satisfied sigh. His wrists were being held behind his back and Kai struggled to free himself and try to grab his sword from his waist, but every effort seemed absolutely fruitless. "You thought you could give me the slip," stated a somewhat familiar voice. "That's my livelihood you got away with though, and I was _not_ about to let you just keep it."

"You don't understand," Kai scoffed, hearing the merchant breathing heavily behind him. "I'm not a thief, I swear! I was in a bit of a...situation with some Serpentine and you were wasting my time." Instead of the tree bark, the ground once more met Kai's face and he could feel the merchant pinning him down hard. The cacophony of giggles from the nearby flowers was beginning to make him very angry. What right did they have to mock him? Absolutely none. "You have your stupid bag back now. Can you just let me go?" As much as Kai wanted to just try and pummel this guy, he knew he could not. He still felt completely spent and he was actually curious how this guy had the strength to detain him if he had been following him the whole time. He should have been just as tired, if not more so.

Yanking the spiky haired brunet to his feet in one swift movement, the merchant noticed the sword dangling lifelessly from his hip and grabbed it immediately. "Thieving is thieving so, no, I'm not just gonna let you go," he said calmly, tightening his grip on the man's wrists. "You'll stay with me until we find your accomplice and then you'll both end up going to prison for your crimes." This sparked a newly found fighting spirit within his captive who leaned forward and attempted to charge away. "Nice try, but I've been told I have a grip like iron. Solid as a rock."

"Well thanks for that then, Rocky," Kai spat, deciding now to just save the very little energy he had left. Perhaps if they managed to find Jay, he could help him out of this situation and then they could continue their journey. _Some journey though_, the blacksmith thought angrily, _we don't even have a specific place we're going. We're just wandering around and trying not to get caught._ A small smirk crossed his face as he felt the raven-haired merchant push him forwards along the path, still keeping a hard grip on Kai's wrists. "Since I've lost my _accomplice_ and we could very well be spending a lot of time together looking for him, maybe we should get acquainted then?"

Scoffing very loudly, the merchant rolled his amber eyes. "I don't acquaint myself with _thieves_."

So he still did not know the man's name. It was not such a big deal. "Oh, alright then," Kai continued, giving a slightly dramatic sigh as his eyes feverishly swept the areas ahead for any sign of Jay. "I'm Kai, in case you wanted to know. Not a thief, but a blacksmith actually. Just wanted to give you a name so you could have it on your conscience as you let me and my friend rot in jail eventually." For the briefest of moments, Kai felt the man behind him falter, his gait slightly uneven. _So he has a bit of a heart after all, _the brunet chuckled internally. _Perfect. "_Like I was saying, I got caught up in a bit of a situation with the Serpentine earlier. You know, my sister probably doesn't even know what happened. She's probably worried sick about me. I'll just be wasting away in jail soon enough though. Just me, my buddy, and you, of course..." The last bit of the sentence hung in the air, fading into nothingness among the ambient sounds of the jungle surrounding them.

"Why would _I_ end up in the imperial prison?" the merchant asked honestly, a bit of fright in his voice. "I haven't done anything wrong." Maybe this guy was just toying with him. Thinking back over the past couple of days, the merchant racked his brain for any memory of partaking in something noticeably illegal. Nothing immediately came to mind. He had crossed the border from the Constrictai's domain into the southern kingdom and had decided to peddle some of his goods at villages along the way. Ignacia Village had just been another stop on his journey. He had not thought something like this would happen. "So then, Kai, I'm not exactly sure what kind of game you're trying to play with me, but it's not gonna work. You and your friend will be the only ones in prison."

He had to keep trying. There was no way he was going to wind up in the scaly hands of the enemy, especially after he had just decided that they were, in fact, the enemy. "My friend, Jay? That's his name, just so you know. Nice guy, Jay. Travels around performing shadow puppet shows to try and entertain the children. You know, spreading this thing called 'happiness'." _Which you seem to know absolutely nothing about_, Kai thought bitterly, rolling his light brown eyes in disgust. Despite only knowing Jay for a few hours now, Kai felt like there was not much more to him than that: a man who was honestly trying to improve the lives of others through smiles and laughter. "Of course, we ran into you when the Serpentine were chasing us and I'm almost positive the Venomari guards would have seen you following us here to the jungle. I'll bet they think you're helping us."

His heart skipped a beat for a split second. The Serpentine could not think he was with these thieves. He had been a victim too! "You did that on purpose," the raven-haired man said through clenched teeth. "You must have _planned_ to have me follow you." Now he felt like an absolute idiot! Unfortunately, a heavy sense of dread was beginning to press down on him. What was he going to do? What if this blacksmith was right and the Serpentine _had_ seen him run off after them? If he went to turn the two in, then he would just end up a prisoner along with them. _Well done, you sneaky thief,_ he thought to himself. "Why did you do that? Why wrap up a stranger in your game of cat and mouse?"_  
_

"You looked like you could possibly have the muscle to help us in a tough situation," Kai answered truthfully, feeling slightly embarrassed that he had disregarded his own cunning and swordsman skills in favor of pure muscle. "Now I see first hand that I wasn't wrong." The grip around his wrists loosened almost entirely after that statement and Kai ripped his limbs from the merchant, rubbing the circulation back into them before turning on his heel. Frowning slightly and wiping the back of his forehead with a bare hand, the merchant just nodded slowly. "Look, Rocky, I'm really sorry that you got mixed up in all of this. It really is all my fault, but I panicked. I didn't know what to do. Rocky..."

"It's Cole, actually," the merchant sighed, gripping his satchel tightly and unhooking Kai's belt from around his waist. "Here, you can have your sword back. As long as you don't use it to stab me or something." Cole tossed the belt and holster through the air, the weight of the sword bringing it all down in a small arc. Kai gracefully caught it out of the air and secured it around his own waist once more. "Don't think this makes us friends or anything though," he warned, bushy brows furrowed. "I'm realizing that you're probably right about the Serpentine and it's honestly better to be a fugitive in a pack of other fugitives. Once I clear my name from this mess, I'm doing everything in my power to make sure you get punishment for your thievery."

Shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, Kai just turned back around. He needed to find Jay after all and tell him about the addition of this new ally. Well, an ally more or less anyways. "Yeah, sure, my punishment," the blacksmith called back. "I'm sure that'll happen after you clear your name. I'm absolutely positive the Serpentine will just be lenient on a human for a _misunderstanding_." Cole's hurried footsteps traveled softly across the compacted dirt and weeds until he was striding beside Kai effortlessly, glancing at him out of the corner of his eyes. "I don't know if you've noticed this, but the Serpentine seem to have eyes everywhere and they aren't very merciful either."

A sudden cawing sound startled the two and they jumped slightly, eyes traveling upwards towards a nearby tree branch. Nestled within the leaves was a dark grey bird, its talons piercing the rough bark of the branch it was standing on. Kai leaned his head to the right slightly, trying to get a better of sense of what the creature was doing. In response to this, the bird leaned its own head accordingly, piercing yellow irises boring a hole through the softly filtered light of the jungle. "Weird," Cole whispered, glancing back and forth between both Kai and the bird. "It's like it's copying you." As the merchant rested his gaze slowly on the bird once more, he watched its eyes suddenly change from yellow to a bright blue. "What in Ninjago? B-Birds don't usually do things like that, right?" Cole watched as Kai just shook his head in response and the two quickly continued on, away from the bird.

"Ah, take it easy!"

That voice. "It's Jay," Kai breathed, surging forward through the jungle, not even waiting to see if his new merchant pal was still following behind him. Just knowing that the puppeteer was close gave Kai a small sense of relief. He had sounded really distraught though and the first thing that came to the blacksmith's mind was an ambush. "Aw man...it sounds like he's in some trouble..."

Rough hands grabbed Kai's shoulders, stopping him immediately in his tracks. Spinning around and lashing out a kick, Kai felt his face fall. His heavy boot had hit Cole square in the abdomen and the almost silent grunt of having the wind knocked out of him filled the air. "I was gonna say it isn't smart to just charge right in there," the raven-haired man said between clenched teeth, almost doubled over. Kai was thoroughly impressed; this guy was taking the kick like a champ, recovering from it very quickly. "If your friend is in trouble, maybe we should see what kind of trouble it is first, that way we don't make any rash decisions." The last few words were stressed, making Kai smile nervously. No doubt a reference to the fact that it was his fault Cole was wrapped up in all of this nonsense.

"Alright, sounds like a plan," Kai replied, hurriedly jumping off of the path into the bustling, green vegetation that flanked it. He watched as Cole, still slowly catching his breath, followed him and the two slowly made their way towards the direction they had heard the shouting. The lush grass underneath them thankfully muffled all sounds of movement and Kai breathed a small sigh of relief. "Thanks for the advice," the blacksmith whispered back to his ally. "Sometimes I just go, you know? I wouldn't want to just walk right into the arms of the Serpentine." There was a loud thudding sound followed by a disoriented groan and Kai attempted to pick up his pace without making any noises. "Hang on, Jay. I'm coming..."

The dense foliage on the ground began to thin as the two found their way towards a clearing. A few sparse trees erupted from out of the grass, but there was not much other plant life to be found. The sunlight was brighter here, breaking through the canopy above and illuminating the scene before them. A man with very pale skin was holding Jay off of the ground, pinning him to a tree. His dress was very formal, almost of noble authority. An ornate headdress adorned with iron studs hid his hair from view, accompanied with a white tunic and pants that were crisply tucked into a pair of black, leather boots. Kai noticed rich, brown leather wrist guards and shoulder pads, protecting the man along with an apron of some sorts that reminded the blacksmith of his own. "I'm not gonna tell you anything," Jay spat, sounding worse for wear. Kai noticed how disheveled the puppeteer's hair was and how swollen and red his right cheek looked.

"That is fine," the two hidden fugitives heard the man say, dropping Jay to the ground in the process. The auburn haired man gave a rough cough and unsteadily got to his feet, leaning on the tree behind him for balance. "The other fugitives will undoubtedly arrive shortly. Your wailing must have reached their ears by now. They cannot be far off and then I will take you all in to Emperor Pythor." Kai watched with narrowed eyes as the man turned his back on Jay. Noticing the opportunity to strike, the puppeteer lunged forward and brought his fist around, aiming for the back of the stranger's head. Without even turning to look, he blocked Jay's attack with his right arm, grabbing the puppeteer's wrist immediately afterwards, and flipping him over his shoulder. Jay lay motionless on the ground afterwards, his labored breathing echoing through now eerie silence. "It is impolite to attack someone while their guard is down," the man stated plainly.

He could feel his blood boiling and his hand immediately wrapped around the hilt of his sword. Who did this guy think he was anyways? Taking the Serpentine's side and just abusively interrogating Jay? Once more, there was a hand on his shoulder and Kai glanced back to see Cole shaking his head in protest. "You really can't just charge in to a fight with that guy," the merchant chastised, his voice barely above a whisper. "You'd end up just like your friend there. Maybe if we try and think about a decent strategy, then we could distract him, grab Jay, and get out of here as quickly as possible. _Emperor Pythor_ wants us all taken in apparently. This isn't good at all..."

_I can't just let Jay stay there with him_, the blacksmith thought tiredly. _I don't know how much longer he can last. _The fluttering of wings interrupted Kai's train of thought and he glanced backwards to see the odd bird from earlier perched upon a nearby tree branch. Just as it had previously done, the creature gazed at the two fugitives with bright blue eyes. "It seems you are in luck, sir," Kai heard the man say. "Your allies are already here as we speak." Feeling his blood run through his veins like ice, the brunet trained his gaze on the warrior, noticing his own eyes glowing a similar color to the bird's. "Yes, I can see you looking at me," the man answered, causing a chill to run up along the blacksmith's spine. "My falcon helps me see everything I need to."

"It's a spy," Cole gulped, his amber eyes still glued to the bird. "How does he use it to his advantage though?" Questions were flooding the merchant's mind now, making him utterly confounded. He turned around to see if Kai had any thoughts regarding the creature, but he gasped in horror to see the blacksmith approaching the white clothed stranger, sword unsheathed and ready. "Kai, what are you doing?" This was practically suicide! Within minutes the warrior would probably subdue them all. Then it was a one way ticket to the imperial prison. "Think about this for a second..."

What was there to think about? "He already knew we were here," the blacksmith called back to Cole, his eyebrows knit together in concentration. "There isn't a point in hiding anymore." The end of his blade was poised, ready to strike at a moment's notice. "Besides, I don't feel like playing games with this guy." Kai's light brown eyes traveled to Jay who was slowly getting into a sitting position, his hazel eyes pleading.

"I am not one for playing games either," the warrior answered, his irises changing from the bright, glowing blue that disturbed Kai to a much darker hue. "If you would like to try and stop me from completing my task, please proceed," his monotone voice droned on, igniting a spark of fury within the blacksmith. "A fair warning to you though: you will fail at every attempt you make. It may just be easier to come quietly, unless you wish to end up like your accomplice over there." He noticed the features on the brunet's face fall. This was good. The angrier someone became before a fight, the more mistakes they seemed to make. A sloppy fight usually ended very quickly. "Well, will you make a move?"

Charging forward and giving an enraged cry, Kai brought his sword around in front of him, attempting to slash at the man's left abdominal area. In response to this, the warrior just took a large step backwards, successfully evading the attack and leaving Kai slightly disoriented. Without hesitating too much, Kai charged again, thrusting his blade directly forward and smirking. There was no way he could avoid it now. Without much warning, the blacksmith's adversary produced a single shuriken from a pouch slung around his waist, catching the tip of Kai's weapon with one of the three small blades that protruded outwards from where he gripped the shuriken. "This is child's play," the warrior commented, his voice still lacking any real emotion. "I see you are about as skilled in combat as your accomplice."

Twisting his arm around, Kai managed to dislodge the shuriken from the man's hand, freeing his own weapon in the process. Feeling a surge of adrenaline course through his body, he swung his sword again, only to have the man block the attack with his arm. The metal was stopped by the thick leather adorning the warrior's wrist, barely cutting into it. Trying to use the lack of distance between them as an advantage, Kai kicked forward with his boot, trying to land a blow. As his foot made contact with the man's upper thigh, the blacksmith felt his face fall. He had not even reacted to it! This guy was a fighting machine. Distracted by his own thoughts, Kai did not noticed Cole approaching the adversary from the side. Inhaling deeply, the merchant swung his satchel around by the strap, trying to hit the man. In an instant, the warrior had stepped back from the confrontation and watched as the man in the long-sleeved, black shirt managed to hit his own comrade.

"What are you trying to do?" Kai growled through clenched teeth, jumping back to his feet and throwing the satchel back towards Cole.

The merchant fumbled with his bag for a moment before slinging it back over his shoulder. "I was _trying _to help you," he replied, crossing his arms roughly over his chest. "You weren't making much progress and I thought I could help you a little bit." Cole watched as the stubborn blacksmith rushed over towards the warrior. There was the sudden clang of two metal weapons colliding and he watched as Kai put all of his strength into forcing his blade towards the enemy. "Strength isn't always the answer," Cole muttered to himself, deciding instead to go see if the man in the blue shirt was fairing any better now.

Every breath he took seemed to catch in his chest and pull a few muscles in his upper back painfully. As a shadow loomed over Jay, he tensed up, irritating the sore muscles further. Anticipating the shadow to belong to the white clothed man, he was surprised to see someone different. His eyes widened in horror. "Please don't beat me up," the puppeteer pleaded, bringing his hands together. "I-I wasn't the one who took your bag, it was Kai! I had nothing to do with it, I swear!" Feeling his frame shake slightly at the sight of the merchant, Jay was genuinely surprised to see the man extend a hand. Fearfully grabbing the merchant's hand, Jay managed to get back on his feet. "Um, thanks..." he groaned, leaning back to try and stretch out the aching muscles once more.

"No problem. I'm Cole, and your friend already told me about everything so don't worry about it," the merchant answered with a small smile. "Are you okay though? That guy, he really did a number on you." With sad eyes, Cole watched as Jay just nodded slowly and gave a small chuckle, rubbing his left shoulder with his right arm. He felt as if this was somehow his fault. If he had not spent so long interrogating Kai earlier, maybe they would have found Jay before any of this had happened. "I know he doesn't want it, and you may not be up for it, but do you think your friend could use our help?"

"Definitely," Jay replied in an exasperated tone.

His arms were shaking violently as he continued to try and force his sword down upon the warrior. "You do not give up easily, which is highly commendable," the man remarked, though Kai could not tell if it was genuine praise or a snarky comment. "I believe it is about time to put an end to it all though." While pushing back against the brunet's attack with one shuriken, the man grabbed yet another one of the weapons from the same pouch and threw it at Kai with absolute precision. The small blades buried themselves into the blacksmith's right shoulder and he dropped to his knees in pain, relinquishing his hold on the sword. "My apologies for the harm, but I have been out here for quite some time and I must return back to the palace as quickly as possible." With a shaking hand, Kai yanked the shuriken from his shoulder and threw it to the ground, glancing at the two blood coated blades that had previously embedded themselves in him.

"Leave him alone," Jay shouted, trudging over towards the white clothed man. The anger was evident in his voice, but the delivery was less than frightening as he managed to trip over his own feet as he was within a couple feet of the warrior. Attempting to avoid embarrassment, the puppeteer dragged himself the remainder of the way to the man and placed a hand on his leg. "Pick on someone...that's not him or me, I guess." Suddenly,and without warning, a tingling sensation manifested within his palm and spread outwards to his finger tips. The warrior gasped suddenly, blue sparks dancing up and down his leg, causing him to stumble backwards towards a patch of messy vegetation.

What was happening? The warrior tried to distribute his weight evenly between both legs, but then his left leg gave out completely, sending him down towards the ground. "What have you done to me?" he called out, sounding the slightest bit distraught. No matter how hard he tried to stand up or even move his leg, he could not. His limb was absolutely immobile. Then there was a sudden pressure wrapping its way around his abdomen and chest, binding his arms to his sides in the process. Glancing downwards, the stranger noticed leafy vines slowly coiling around him unrelentingly. He recognized the species of plant immediately and gave a sigh. Emperor Pythor would be very disappointed in him.

"Whoa, Jay, what happened?" Kai smirked while gripping his shoulder with his left hand and feeling satisfied as he saw the warrior in what appeared to be distress. "You took him out! That was so amazing!" The brunet watched as Cole helped the puppeteer back to his feet and kept him steady. "I'm sorry we didn't get to you sooner, but now we can go regroup and try to get you rested up a bit before we travel some more."

There was an unsettling sensation tugging at Jay's heart and the more he tried to ignore it, the worse he felt. It was almost nauseating, the guilt that was weighing down upon him. "W-We can't just leave him like that," Jay pleaded, glancing back towards their adversary and feeling a bit sad as he watched him squirm in the vines' grip before deciding to give up. "Look at him, he just seems so helpless now, and he's a human, just like us. Whether he's working with the Serpentine or not, we _have_ to help him."

"I'm not sure if you noticed this or not, but that was the guy who just roughed you and your friend up," Cole added, not seeing how they owed this guy any ounce of mercy.

"If we leave him here to suffer then we're no better than the Serpentine!" the puppeteer shouted, finally catching everyone's undivided attention. He watched as Kai's eyes softened for a second and the newcomer, Cole, nodded in understanding. Not waiting for anyone else to decide to immediately help the warrior, Jay shook the merchant's hand off of his shoulder and slowly made his way over to the man. "We're gonna try and help you," Jay announced loudly, despite the fact that the man was perfectly capable of hearing every word without the added volume. "Just lemme try and help you untangle yourself."

He squirmed once more in the vines. "Please do not come any closer," he warned, tone extremely serious. "These vines do not let go of their prey once they have it." With a sense of relief, the warrior watched as the auburn haired man took a few steps backwards. This was good. It was one thing to know that he had failed his master, but it would be another thing entirely to allow his targets to die before his master could properly interrogate them. "They will wait until I perish and eventually decompose as fertilizer for the roots. Of course, I am not made of organic material, so my body will remain here for much longer." Watching as the man dressed in blue shot him a quizzical look, the warrior just blinked slowly. "I am an android after all. You knew that as well, did you not? You were somehow able to shut down all mobility to my left leg. I believe you shorted out the circuits."

_An android, _Jay thought in complete awe. _Something like that existing is impossible. _His thoughts were interrupted as Kai strode up, gripping his sword in his less dominant hand and swinging it downwards, cutting at the vines and making them loosen their coils around the warrior. "Be careful, Kai," Jay cautioned, watching the blacksmith work quickly and carefully around the vines. Within minutes, the vines had completely retreated from the area, disappearing back into the safety of the denser vegetation.

"You...you aided me when I was in need," the android said, feeling confused as Kai took most of his body weight and helped him up on to his still working leg. "That was very honorable of you. Most people do not help an enemy."

"Well we aren't most people," Kai chided, gently lowering the warrior back down on the ground, far away from the potential reach of any other vines. "Now, I'm not sure what Jay did to your leg or even _how_ he did something to your leg, but I don't know if we can help it." He watched as the android just stared at them, most likely still confused about why they had helped him out of the sticky situation. Then Jay approached the android and knelt beside him, placing both hands on the white material of his pants and closing his eyes. After a few minutes of what appeared to be intense concentration, blue sparks once more appeared along the length of the warrior's leg and he moved his left foot around, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "Jay...how did you do that?"

The puppeteer shrugged before helping the android to his feet and following suit. "I'm not sure, it just kinda happens."

"I give you my deepest gratitude for saving me," the warrior replied, giving the three fugitives a deep bow. "Though we were on opposite sides, I feel as if I cannot repay you for your aid. I cannot be sure if my master or any of the other Serpentine would have helped me out of such a situation." He watched as the merchant held out the two shurikens he had dropped and he grabbed them hurriedly and stowed them away in the pouch around his waist "Please, allow me to accompany you on your travels. I cannot bring myself to come before Emperor Pythor empty handed, but I also cannot hand over kind people who saved me selflessly."

Cole shot Kai a very untrusting glance and the blacksmith nodded in understanding. It seemed like the dumbest idea ever, allowing someone who had just been trying to capture them for the Serpentine to now travel with them. "That sounds cool," Jay exclaimed, his hazel eyes lighting up. "We get our own android buddy! Who else has an android buddy that's as zany as this guy is? What's your name?" Kai rubbed his temples furiously. Leave it to Jay to just instantly forget about the guy beating him up and instead looking at him like a pet.

"I do not have a name," the android replied slowly, dark blue eyes locked with Jay.

"Then we'll call you Zane," the puppeteer smiled, giving the android a hard pat on the back. His headdress tumbled off, revealing fair, light blonde hair underneath. "Ah, you don't need that thing anyways. Makes you look all stiff and unapproachable. You're Zane now and you don't need that Serpentine military stuff." With complete disbelief, the three fugitives watched as their new companion gave a genuine smile, the first real emotion he had shown since they had encountered him. "That's the spirit! Welcome aboard, Zane."


	5. Spirit of hope

Chapter 5- Spirit of hope

"Not escaping tonight I'm assuming?" A voice reached Lloyd's ears. It was familiar. _Too _familiar. He groaned, opening his emerald green eyes and sitting up.

"I don't feel like talking to you." Lloyd's voice was groggy, his eyelids heavy with lack of sleep. Before him stood the ghost of Ninjago's last emperor, or so the spirit claimed. He had been in Lloyd's life for as long as he could remember. The ghost seemed to follow him around from place to place, with annoying and cynical remarks about every one of Lloyd's actions.

"I'll leave you alone, if you stand up and do what's right." The ghost stepped closer to Lloyd, his long robes floating behind him as he moved forward. His well proportioned muscles seemed to test the fabric's strength, as the memory of the ghost's muscles seemed to be imprinted against the cloth. The ghost's face was handsome, with sharp features that were perfectly accentuated by the few wrinkles around the ghost's eyes. Gray, soft looking hair hung just above the man's eyebrows, while the back of it curved in different directions.

"I _am _doing what's right," The slave closed his eyes, running his pale hands through his tangled blonde hair. In a flash of pain, memories of all the ones he had lost by the hands of the Serpentine flashed past him. All the people he had befriended briefly while he was younger, ripped away from their lives after making a mistake. People publicly murdered for stepping out of line with thoughts of rebellion. No offense, no matter how small, was ever forgiven. "I'm keeping my head down and staying alive. I bet you get lonely being dead and all, but I don't really want to join you."

The ghost glided closer, his powerful gray eyes focused upon the young man. "So you will become a sheep, blindly following your leader, until the day of your death? The life you lead now is no life at all. Taking risks is the only way to move forward."

"I want it all to end. I want to be happy, but I can't do anything." Lloyd stood, feeling small and helpless in the presence of the large spirit. "I'm just me and I'm terrified. I can't make a difference."

"That's where you are wrong, Lloyd. No matter how insignificant you may feel, you can _always _make a difference." The ghost reached towards Lloyd, a tender expression embedded on his eyes. His hand slipped right through the boy's golden hair. The ghost quickly moved his hand away. "Besides, you are more powerful than you give yourself credit for."

"Let's say I _can _make a difference," Lloyd shrugged, slowly letting himself be pulled into the ghost's rebellious ideas. "How do I survive long enough to actually do anything? If I do escape, I've got nowhere to go. How much of a difference would I make if I'm always on the run?"

The ghost waved his arm, creating the image of a small temple. Its walls were painted with a potent shade of crimson, while the curved roof was glowing with golden paint. A gigantic door protected the temple's entrance. Strange symbols had been painted on the wood with a golden substance. Lloyd's eyes shone bright as he tried to take in every single detail. The crimson walls had beautiful images carved upon its surface. The first image to catch his eye was that of a dragon, wings spread widely. Its eyes seemed to shine, almost as if it was actually real. Below the dragon, stood a boy. He was small, but he didn't look helpless. He was young, but he didn't look weak.

With a wave of his arm, the ghost erased the image. Startled, Lloyd's feet shuffled back. The young man looked back up at the ghost, waiting for him to speak.

"That, is the Temple of Light. Within it lives a man that can teach you everything. And you will never be afraid again."

The possibilities ran wild through Lloyd's head. He nodded, eyes full of childish wonder. To not fear anything again. . . the offer was too tempting to decline.

A small smile tugged on the ghost's lips. Nodding his head towards the door, he urged Lloyd forward. "Go on then. . . I will guide you to the island. Ah, and do not forget that special book of yours."

"Of course not!" Lloyd trotted out of his room, keeping his footsteps light and silent. With an expert hand, he slid open his master's main door and stepped out into the cold night. The ghost followed, gliding noiselessly through the house's obstacles. Lloyd dropped to his knees, moving away the loose foundation to retrieve the golden book.

Lloyd took a deep breath, holding the heavy book tightly against his chest. With slow, shaking steps he stepped out into the city's empty streets. The ghost guided Lloyd through the night, avoiding the light and staying close to the shadows. Breathing harder and harder with each step, the young man tried his best to keep up with the ghost's pace.

It was a tough challenge. The fact that Lloyd hadn't eaten more than a stale piece of bread didn't help at all. By the time they were nearing the edge of the city, Lloyd's breath was loud and forced. "Can we. . . take a break? I don't think I can run anymore."

"Now? We can't stay in the city. They will find you in no time if you don't keep moving. " The ghost shook his head, causing a strand of his gray hair to fall out of place. "No, you need to listen to me. Keep on moving. "

"No I should have never listened to you. . ." Lloyd stopped, trying to regain his strength. His shaking legs, begging for rest, caused Lloyd to fall onto the muddy road. "Maybe if I walk fast I can get back in time. . . they won't even know about this dumb charade. . ."

"No you need to keep moving," the ghost hissed.

"No I need to go back," Lloyd growled.

"_Listen to me!_"

"_No!"_

"Who goessss there?"

Lloyd's head snapped to the side. He stumbled to his feet, slowly stepping back and away from the voice. He shot an angry look at the ghost, silently cursing him for getting him killed. A snake stepped out into the light. The color of its scales stood between green and blue. Its eyes were large and red, sending a chill through Lloyd's spine. Hypnobrai.

"A ssslave iss it?" The Hypnobrai raised its spear. "I think the Great Devourer will be happy to receive another meal. . ."


	6. Farewells and Maps

Chapter Six: Farewells and Maps

As the deep hues of sunset cast an unusually eerie feeling across the land, the four newly acquainted companions finally emerged from the treeline of the Hou Jungle. Kai let out a deep breath and wiped the back of his right hand across his forehead, feeling the sticky perspiration that had been clinging to his brow. It was always the muggiest before night fell in the southern kingdom, absolutely serene for the serpents that resided in the area, but not necessarily for the humans. He glanced around, his light brown eyes bouncing between Jay and Cole who both seemed uncomfortable in the humid air. The android, on the other hand, seemed perfectly fine. Kai narrowed his eyes at their adversary before breaking the silence. "Well...what are we suppose to do now?"

Jay felt his muscles tense up and he turned to face the blacksmith in an instant. "What are we suppose to do now?" the puppeteer breathed, feeling the soft whisper of anguish growing within him. "_What are we supposed to do now? _I only decided to come with you because _you_ wanted to try and do something about the Serpentine's power. Now _you're_ asking _us_ what we should do?" His voice rose progressively louder over the course of his small outburst, an unfamiliar spark of anger wanting to burst out of him. "Well I'm not sure what we're suppose to do now. _I_ would have been on my way to the next town already if it wasn't for you!"

Blinking slowly, Zane watched as an argument unfolded before him. He was getting a clearer picture on the background of the fugitives. _Not fugitives_, sounded a small voice in the back of his mind. Slightly disoriented, the android sneaked a quick glance over his shoulder, looking for the person who had spoken, but found no one. _They are comrades_. "They are still wanted though," he said calmly, averting his gaze to the ground and crossing his arms over his chest. "My own observance of honor and respect is the only thing preventing me from taking them back to the palace at this moment." _It is more than that_, the voice came again, which Zane was slowly discovering sounded very similar to his own voice. _You know there is more to it than that._ "Perhaps..."

He furrowed his brows deeply, uneasiness slowly creeping up on him. This rag tag group seemed to be falling apart before it even really came together. Of course, he never asked to be part of it in the first place. Cole rested his amber eyes upon the android, or "Zane" as Jay had been referring to him, who seemed to be holding a conversation with himself. If Zane ended up turning on them when they were not prepared, they would all be thrown in the imperial prison quicker than someone could get bitten by a Fangpyre. "Hey, uh, Zane," the merchant said while clearing his throat, slowly closing the distance between them. Jay and Kai continued to argue with each other, ignoring the other two. "Are you doing okay? You seem a little...preoccupied with something."

"I am fine," the android responded, bringing his eyes up from the ground. "There is the slight possibility that I could be experiencing an odd malfunction, but more than likely I am not."

_Uh, okay,_ Cole thought to himself, wondering what kind of malfunction the elite warrior standing before him could possibly be going through. "Look, I just want to level with you for a second," the raven-haired man stated, bringing his voice down to a loud whisper. "Those two over there, they're bad news. They stole property that belonged to me and, if someone like you was sent to look for _us_, then it means I've been grouped with them." There was a the smallest inkling of guilt that was making its presence known, trying to become the voice of reason in the back of Cole's mind, but he shut it out. "I haven't done anything wrong, anything illegal. It was _them_, so if you want to take them back to Emperor Pythor, I will completely understand, but could you leave me out of it? Would you have the authority to have my name cleared so that I could just continue on with my life?"

Zane just averted his gaze to the other two men in the group. The one with the spiky hair was slowly raising his voice, brows knit together in frustration and his right hand awkwardly inching down towards the weapon on his waist. Jay, the one who had seemed the most accepting of his presence in the group, was talking very animatedly with his hands. At first glance both of them seemed very incompetent. How could they be wanted for anything? "I am not aware of specific instances prior to the classification of your fugitive status, but even input from me would not clear your name," Zane answered honestly, turning his dark blue eyes on the merchant once more. "Emperor Pythor never forgets a face and neither do the serpents who work directly under him. Even if I were to bring him evidence proving the truth of your statement, it would not matter. You are a law breaker in his eyes. There is nothing that can be done about that."

His heart dropped into his stomach, breath catching slightly as he really mulled over Zane's words. Kai had been right all along then: the Serpentine were not lenient when it came to misunderstandings and they were definitely not merciful. He would be looking over his shoulder in fear for the rest of his life now. The sudden realization of his fate turned from anxiety to anger as Cole turned his amber eyes on the blacksmith. This was all his fault. His life had been ruined because a reckless stranger had disregarded any sense of moral competency. "You," he growled, pushing the sleeves of his thin, black shirt up around his biceps. "This is all because of _you_!" Both Jay and Kai ceased their arguing as Cole pushed his way in between them, grabbing Kai roughly by the fabric of his red tunic and lifting him off of the ground.

"H-Hey, take it easy," Jay sputtered, unsure of what to do. Instinctively, the puppeteer tried to pull Cole backwards in an attempt to throw him off balance, but it did not work. The merchant stood stoic and steady, Kai still tight in his grip.

With somewhat feeble strength, the blacksmith grabbed hold of Cole's right wrist, alleviating some of the pressure off of his neck and chest. What had gotten in to him? "You targeted me because you thought I looked strong enough," the merchant spat angrily, tanned skin flushed with sweat. "Well, was this the strength you were hoping for? Are you happy that you ruined my life just so you could have a little muscle?" Breathing growing more shallow, Kai just kept his gaze focused on Cole. Was he really still upset about that? Had he not just been on board with everything a little while ago, willing to help them fight a servant of the empire in order to escape? Why the sudden change of thought? Why the sudden outburst?

"Release him," came a calm voice. Cole looked back over his shoulder to see Zane standing beside a very frantic Jay who almost seemed to be pacing in place, if that was even possible. "It is unwise to turn on allies, even in very desperate times." The merchant felt his lip curl upwards slightly. What right did the tin can have to tell him what to do? He was with the rotten Serpentine anyways, serving under them. _Getting angry isn't gonna solve anything_, Cole suddenly thought, the guilt from earlier manifesting into rationality. _What's done is done and nothing can change that now. These guys are all you have now and it's much better than being alone. Do you want to go back to being alone? _The fabric entwined between his fingers suddenly felt heavier and the merchant sighed, preparing to set Kai back down on the ground.

Suddenly, searing pain engulfed Cole's wrist and a strangled gasp escaped his dry lips. Releasing his hold on Kai's tunic immediately afterwards, he heard the hard thud as the blacksmith's back met the earth. Opening and closing his hand without thinking, the merchant stared down at the circles of reddened skin that had followed the shapes of Kai's own hands. "What did you do?" he asked almost breathlessly, still unable to tear his eyes away from the obvious burns.

He felt himself shaking uncontrollably, every muscle in his body quivering with both adrenaline and fear. "I-I-I dunno," Kai managed to respond, raising his hands slowly and examining them. His thin fingers were trembling in the muggy air, the lines that criss-crossed his palms almost glaring up at him. There was no evidence of burning on him though. "I was getting mad that you were trying to push me around and make me feel sorry for you," he continued, surprised that his honest thoughts were automatically translating into his words. "And then I just...I felt heat in m-my hands and I thought I was just imagining it, but I-I-I hurt you..." His voice trailed off as he watched his hands continue to shake despite the rest of his body slowly calming down. Kai's heart was ricocheting around in his chest like a bird attempting to take flight. "I didn't mean for anything to happen, I swear! I don't even know how it happened! I'm so sorry..."

Cole held up his left hand, signaling for Kai to be silent. "I believe you," he sighed, rolling down the sleeves of his shirt and watching as the slight burns disappeared behind the black material. It was odd to him how the animosity between himself and Kai had dissipated entirely within the course of a few minutes, washed away by apologies and understanding. With his lips setting into a thin line, the merchant took a knee and extended a hand to Kai who accepted it after a few seconds of scrutiny. "And, I'm sorry that I just...attacked you. It doesn't matter what I think about this whole mess or if I'm upset that you roped me into all of this because it's not going to change anything. We can only deal with what's happening now and right now, we only have each other."

_We only have each other._ "My sister!" Kai blurted out as Cole helped him to his feet. "Oh man, my sister has no clue what's going on right now." The quizzical expressions of his teammates were blatantly apparent as Kai stumbled forward slightly, panicking now. He had told Nya to go look after the kids back in Ignacia and then one thing had eventually led to another: the rushed partnership between himself and Jay, the Venomari outside the tent, and just...everything else. Nya was probably worried sick about him. "I need to go see her, tell her what's going on so she doesn't worry about me," the blacksmith stated openly, his voice wavering on the thin line between angry and nervous. _You're on the run from the people that rule the land you live in_, his cynical thoughts chimed in. _She'll be worried no matter what._ "Or at least just tell her what's going on," Kai regrettably sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand.

"Don't worry about it," Jay smiled sympathetically, giving Kai a hard pat on his right shoulder, causing him to recoil in pain. "Oh yeah...Zane hurt your shoulder. Forgot about that, sorry." The puppeteer recalled Kai talking about his sister for a brief moment when they had first met. She had been the one to help him set his tent up after all. Despite himself, Jay felt his cheeks heat up with a light dusting of blush. Kai's sister was so...beautiful. The way her deep black hair framed her face and her warm, chocolate brown eyes had held a genuine interest while they talked. "We'll go with you to see your sister and then we'll figure out where we're going and what we're gonna do from there."

Despite everything, Cole gave a soft sigh. So they had to make a pit stop into a village now? That sounded like it could become disastrous quickly. "Alright then," he chimed in begrudgingly, "lead the way, Kai. It's already starting to get dark out so it's better to go now under the cover of night." With that, the four were off, leaving the edge of the Hou Jungle and slowly traversing towards the boundaries of Ignacia Village.

* * *

"That was too close," Jay whispered, his breathing slightly erratic. "I mean...they almost saw us. They could have caught us!" His back was pressed up firmly against the faded wood of a lowly shack, a lone drop of sweat cascading down his left cheek. The number of Serpentine currently parading around the winding, dirt roads of the small village was astounding. Kai had frozen up initially, halting in his path and rethinking the plan to just give his sister a quick visit. Jay, on the other hand, had more than willingly given Kai the support and motivation to continue onward. _Your sister is important to you_, he had said, giving the blacksmith a reassuring pat on the back. _You want her to know that you're okay, right?_ A small smile crept its way upon his face as he thought back to the conversation he had shared with Kai's sister earlier that day.

_Smack!_

Rubbing the back of his auburn head, the puppeteer shot a narrowed glance over at Cole who was still holding his hand up. "Keep your voice down and comments to a minimum," the merchant silently hissed, also keeping himself back against the shack. Jay was right about something though: that really _had_ been too close. Just slowly following Kai through the unfamiliar village, the group had almost run into a pair of Venomari, prowling down the street. Zane had somehow managed to convince everyone to stop where they were and just in time too. The Venomari had ended up walking past them just as they had tried to conceal their presence against the wall of the building behind them.

"Let's keep moving now," Kai suggested softly, peering around the corner and verifying that the Serpentine were, in fact, gone. "Coast is clear and my home isn't too far now. We'll just keep quiet, stay low, and stick to the shadows." Letting his light brown eyes drift upwards towards the starry sky, the blacksmith swallowed hard. There seemed to be an unusual amount of stars visible tonight. More often than not, the black of night was just that: black and dreary. Now the moon winked down in a slender crescent, casting a soft glow down on the broken earth below. "Come on," Kai finished, gesturing for the others to follow him closely as they started their journey once more.

In the otherwise silent air, the sounds of Kai's heavy boots against the pebbles and other earthy debris that littered the streets was almost deafening. He imagined hordes of Venomari descending upon them within minutes, whisking them all away to the imperial prison. Shaking his head, the blacksmith carried on, trying not to let his nerves get the better of him. He would tell Nya what was happening and then leave as soon as possible. It was better to keep her as far away from harm as possible. As far as he was aware, Emperor Pythor did not necessarily know their personal identities, just their faces. Hopefully it stayed that way, for his sister's sake.

The familiar, slightly collapsing roof of his home was now plainly visible down a stretch of road and, once more, the brunet motioned for his companions to follow him. Keeping himself hunched over slightly to avoid detection, Kai trod lightly, hearing the reassuring footfall of the others behind him. In what felt like no time at all, the group had made it to the outside of the blacksmith shop. Sweeping his eyes around the perimeter of the building, Kai felt his muscles relax slowly. No Serpentine around. Good. The dancing flame of a candle in the window caught his attention and he gave a small smile. Nya was expecting him to come home. Standing up straight, the brunet brought himself to gaze through the dirty glass and wiped some of the grime away with a sleeve. His sister was asleep at his work table, clothed in the apron he wore when he was working with his tools.

"She must have been waiting for you," sighed a content voice. Startled, Kai jumped slightly, ramming his injured shoulder back against Jay's chin, the two sucking in large gulps of air in attempts to mask their pain. "Sorry, sorry," the puppeteer apologized, rubbing his chin furiously. "I just think that's really nice of your sister, waiting for you even until she couldn't wait anymore." He paused for a moment and Kai watched the candle light reflect in his hazel eyes. "She looks so...peaceful." Clearing his throat, Kai managed to bring Jay's focus back outside. "Oh, um, yeah, right. Go in there and, uh, tell your sister you're okay. For now at least..."

Ignoring the latter of Jay's statement, Kai slipped around towards the front of the building after checking to make sure the coast was clear. With a steady hand, he tried the knob and felt a bought of satisfaction blossom within him as he kicked away the old mat in front of the door to find the spare key. At least Nya was smart enough to lock up and stuff when she was alone. If she had to spend the rest of her life on her own now, at least she would be okay. Jamming the key into the lock and jiggling it slightly as he turned it, Kai heard the click of the lock give way as he tried the knob once more.

Faint light from a few oil lamps filled the room with odd shadows as the blacksmith shut the door behind him and quietly crept towards his sleeping sibling. "Nya," he whispered, knowing full well that she would not awaken to something so soft. Kai could see her shoulders moving against the table as she breathed slowly, her head buried in her arms, dark hair cascading down her forearms. "Nya," he tried again, leaning over his work table and placing a calloused hand on his sister's shoulder. After a small shake, Nya shot upwards, her eyes heavy and unfocused from sleep. "Hey, hey, relax," Kai said, immediately pulling her into a tight embrace. "It's just me. Don't worry."

"K-Kai?" Nya asked softly, feeling the slightly toned arms of her brother wrap around her reassuringly. She buried her head into his chest and relaxed, recognizing the familiar scent of ash and metal that always seemed to be clinging to Kai's clothes. "Where have you been? I went back to the tent after I talked with the kids and you weren't there. Neither was the puppeteer. I didn't know what happened and now the amount of Serpentine in the village has more than doubled." Almost as if hearing her own words for the first time, Nya pulled away from her sibling and narrowed her chocolate brown eyes in an accusatory manner. "What did you do?"

A soft knock came from the front door and Kai spun around, pushing Nya behind him and grabbing for his sword despite the wave of pain that erupted from his injured shoulder. "Just me," whispered Jay, stepping into the building and out of the silvery lit outdoors. "Sorry to interrupt because I know you _just_ got in here, but Zane is kinda freaking out. He's been using his bird or whatever to kinda survey the village and he's not liking what he's seeing." Noticing Kai's sister peering out from behind him, the puppeteer gave a warm smile. "Oh, hey! You were talking with me earlier today. I'd recognize that pretty face anywhere." Immediately following his words, Jay clammed up, his face burning with embarrassment and he took a few steps backwards, almost tripping over the raised mat in front of the door. "Uh...yeah...forget that. Um, just, come out when you're ready, Kai, because we need to get movin' as soon as possible." Catching the girl's eyes once more, the puppeteer cleared his throat. "And, uh, g-goodnight to you, miss," he awkwardly chuckled, fleeing from the building.

"Idiot," Kai muttered under his breath, turning away from the slightly opened door and back towards his sister who looked just as red as Jay had before making his hasty retreat. "Long story short, Nya," Kai stated, regaining his sister's complete attention before continuing. "That was Jay, you met him earlier, and we're kinda...fugitives now because of his storytelling. And when some Venomari got word of it and confronted us...we ran." Watching as Nya narrowed her eyes, Kai held up a hand and started speaking faster. "Don't worry about it though because we're not alone. We have a really muscular merchant with us and also a personal android guard of the Serpentine because apparently they have things like that."

Blinking slowly, Nya tried to take it all in. "Alright then," she answered.

"Alright then?" Kai inquired, feeling a little disoriented by his sister's placid reaction to everything. "What do you mean by that?"

Despite everything she was being told, Nya forced herself to smile. "You're doing something we always used to talk about when we were younger: you're standing up for everyone. You don't have to do it by yourself though because you have all these other people willing to help you." Was she going to be worried about him? Of course. Was there always the possibility that he would never come back? Definitely. She could not let that influence her in any way though. Kai had always been a strong role model, a strong _hero_ in her eyes. Now it was time for him to prove it to the world. "Be the Golden Master, Kai," she whispered, pulling him into another embrace. "Make a difference."

More knocking came from the front door, but Zane fully entered the building before finishing his kind gesture. "Please, pardon my intrusion," the android stated with a deep bow. "I have been using my falcon to monitor the Serpentine activity throughout the village and I have become personally uncomfortable with our chances of making it out of the village without being seen." Nya glanced over at the man clothed in white, still hugging her brother to close to her. "If we were to get caught, I could use the excuse that I have found you and am now bringing you to the palace as per my instructions. Unfortunately, then I would be obligated to fulfill those orders. I suggest we move quickly to avoid any complications arising."

Nodding quickly, Kai grabbed his sister by the shoulders and steadied her. "As much as I wanna tell you everything is gonna be okay, I can't," the blacksmith stated, trying to hurry everything along. "Just...you never saw us, okay? If the Serpentine come asking about us, you never saw us. I couldn't live with myself if you got pulled into this mess or anything, got it?" With that, Kai planted a quick kiss on his younger sister's forehead and turned to head towards the door. "I love you, Nya," he called back, following Zane out of the door and quickly shutting it behind him. "Take care of yourself," he finished, having nothing but the open air hear his words.

"Quickly," the android urged, leading Kai back to where the others were sitting and gesturing for them to rise. Cole was immediately on his feet, dragging a semi-conscious Jay up with him. "We must make it out of the village and continue on our way before any of the Venomari spot us." Nodding in silent agreement, the other three followed Zane as he started following the safest route out of the area. With his eyes now in the sky, through the help of his mechanical companion, the android was mapping out the movements of the enemies around them. Stop. Make a quick left down this side street. Keep moving forward. Stop.

Jay was trying his best to keep up with everyone, but after everything that had happened throughout the day, fatigue was beginning to claw away at him. With heavy eyelids threatening to fall, the puppeteer yawned and stumbled forward, grabbing on to Cole's leather satchel in an attempt to catch himself. The strap fell off of the merchant's shoulder and the bag met the ground with a soft thud, some of its contents spilling out and onto the ground. "S-Sorry," Jay apologized, the adrenaline flooding through his body now keeping him fully awake. He saw Cole roll his eyes as the two grabbed for the loose items and carried them in their arms as they continued to traverse.

A carved piece of gold was now in Jay's grasp, his attention focused on it as he absentmindedly followed the others through the streets of the village. The way the disc reflected the moonlight was almost hypnotizing and it filtered through three open holes, dotting the ground with the concentrated light. "Cool," he smiled to himself, running into Cole once more as the group halted its gait. They had managed to make it out of Ignacia without being caught. "Are we safe now?" Jay asked hesitantly, turning his gaze away from the golden disc and up towards his friends. The word just seemed to fit despite the circumstances causing their paths to cross. _Friends_.

"For now, yes," Zane replied, his glowing eyes returning to their normal blue. "I did not see us being followed either, in case you were concerned about that too."

The puppeteer shook his head and felt an odd pang of sadness strike him when Cole reached out to grab the disc from him. "What exactly is that?" Jay inquired, watching as the merchant himself flipped it over, seemingly inspecting it.

"I'm actually not too sure," Cole replied honestly, brushing some hair out of his face. He recalled finding this half hidden on the dirt along his travels. It had caught his eyes because it seemed to be so important and simply beautiful. Surely someone of great wealth had accidentally dropped it while they had been traversing along a path. He had meant to sell it at numerous villages or cities, but he could never really bring himself to part with it, almost as if the disc did not want to be parted with. "Just a trinket I found on the road a while ago," he shrugged, getting ready to stow the object back inside of his bag.

Just then, Zane reached out and grabbed the disc from Cole's hands, staring wide eyed at it. "This is...more than just a mere trinket," he breathed, sounding genuinely shocked. "I have heard about an artifact that is identical to this one. Most of Ninjago history was programmed into my hard drive before the Serpentine proceeded to eradicate it." This caught everyone's attention, and they slowly looked upon the android with wonder. "This is supposed to be a map. A map to the Temple of Light, a monastery that sits upon an island off the coast of the mainland. I know that Pythor banished a man to the island long ago, though the motivation is unclear to me. Perhaps we should start our travels there."

Kai swallowed hard, recalling those stories as well. More fairy tales that his mother had spun to him and Nya before sending them off to bed. The man though, he was just a legend, like the Temple of Light itself. As much as he wanted to object to them chasing after a fairy tale, Kai could not genuinely bring himself to argue. They were already chasing after freedom, a fairy tale in of itself. Taking the time to actually attempt to find a temple on an island would not be much more of a long shot. "Well then let's go," the blacksmith smirked. "Guess we know what we're supposed to do now."

* * *

**Thanks for reading and we'll see everyone next week. :3**


	7. Temple of light

Chapter 7-Temple of Light

Lloyd stepped back, body shaking with adrenaline. The Serpentine slithered closer and closer raising the sharp spear menacingly towards Lloyd's throat. His legs tensed up, begging Lloyd to run and find safety within the darkness of the night. But the stars were shining brightly, and the crescent moon smiled down at Lloyd, mocking him with the white light that shone down throughout the streets. Hiding was out of the question.

Two options presented themselves before Lloyd's fearful eyes. Fight...or die.

"You might want to hurry this up," The Emperor stood beside Lloyd, carefully watching the Serpentine, searching for any sign of weakness, determined on keeping the young man safe. "More Serpentine approach. He is just trying to stall you long enough for them to arrive."

_Hurry this up? _Lloyd thought, keeping his eyes glued upon the Serpentine's spear _I can't run, not without running into other Serpentine. And I can't fight._

"Get down!" The ghost shouted, his tone commanding. Lloyd dropped his body to the floor, chest hitting the concrete just as the Serpentine lunged its spear forward. "Roll to the side, use a back kick while he's distracted."

Lloyd rolled to the side, stumbling slightly as he tried to get up. Not exactly knowing how to perform a back kick, Lloyd swung his right leg against the Serpentine's back. His enemy fell forward dropping the spear. The young man almost smiled in triumph, but the force of the kick had thrown him off balance. He fell, landing hard against his side.

The Emperor sighed, shaking his head. "That had to be the worst kick I've ever witnessed..."

Lloyd stood, trotting backwards while keeping an eye on his enemy. When the pitiful snake failed to stand, the young man turned running out of the city as fast as his legs would carry him. "I've never kicked _anyone _before! Besides he didn't get up. Give me a little credit here."

Running past the last buildings of the city, Lloyd felt a burst of adrenaline spread through his body. He was free. No longer would he be forced to answer to a crazy, overweight aristocrat. No longer would he have to spend his nights laying against the dirt, trembling with cold. No longer would he have to tolarate senseless beatings for petty mistakes. And maybe, maybe he would no longer be alone.

The brief rush of freedom didn't last too long. Lloyd's body was weak and underfed, and his muscles hadn't exactly been developed throughout the years. His thighs and calves burned with each step he took, while the breath from his lungs burned against his throat and chest. Gravity seduced him, tempting Lloyd to fall against the dry earth, pulling him down harder and harder as fatigue began to take over.

He began to slow down, certain that the Serpentine were far enough. But The Emperor had other ideas.

"You've got to keep moving. You can rest when we reach the next village. If you stop now, the news of your escape will have reached the whole kingdom by the time we reach the traveler's port." He commanded, urging Lloyd forward.

The young man shook his head, sweat dripping down from his blonde hair. "I don't...think I can run for much longer."

"The village isn't so far. Just keep on going." Lloyd nodded at the ghost's words, opening his mouth to reply. The Emperor cut him off, raising his hand to stop the words. "And no more talking. It will only waste your breath."

And so Lloyd ran. Sometimes slowing, sometimes gaining speed. After a long while, his breathing settled, reluctantly getting used the pace at which Lloyd was moving. His muscles felt sore, but the pain had faded into the background. Keeping his eyes focused ahead, he spotted the dim lights of a village. A light breeze sent the salty smell of seafood up Lloyd's nose, giving the young man the lasts bits of energy he needed to reach the village.

"Do...Do I get credit for making it all the way here?" Lloyd smirked, turning his run into a slow walk. His breathing was a bit loud, and it took a few seconds for it to accommodate to a normal walking pace once more.

The Emperor looked down at Lloyd, his eyes softening. He smiled, nodding his head. "I must say, I did not expect you to make it all the way out here."

"Well...I did." Lloyd looked around, spotting a few guards standing around the village's small plaza. He kept his distance, finally allowing himself to crumple to the ground as he reached a dark alley. "Now...What am I supposed to do?"

The ghost pointed towards the seashore, where a few ships rested along the coastline. "We steal one of those."

Lloyd opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked up at the ghost, trying to figure out how crazy the old Emperor was. "A ship? I don't even know how to sail. Now you want me to steal one _right from under the Serpentine's noses_? Then sail it all the way to an island I've never heard of before?"

"A ship? Oh no. Not that."

The young man looked towards the shore once more, spotting a few wooden boats floating besides the larger ship's shadows. "Steal a boat and row it all the way to an island that might, or might not exist. Why did I listen to you...?"

"Do you want to go back to the world of pain you've lived of your whole life? Be my guest." The Emperor looked down at Lloyd, the usual hardened look returning to his eyes. "But if you want to take a chance, to make something out of yourself, then you will do as I say."

Lloyd sighed, nodding slowly. "Ok steal the boat, row to an imaginary island and talk to a legendary man, anything else you'd like to add?"

"It would be nice if you could stop having such a rude attitude," The Emperor pointed out, following Lloyd as he stood and began to sneak towards the beach.

"Well I'm sorry," Lloyd hissed, "But you almost got me killed today."

"Get you killed?" The ghost and the boy moved forward. "I saved your life. Without me you'd still be trapped within the chains of your master. Now close your mouth before you manage to get another Serpentine to spot us."

Lloyd rolled his eyes, biting his lips in order to hold back a grumpy response. The ghost did have a point though. If it hadn't been for him, Lloyd would have been forever trapped under the thumb of his master, telling himself that it would all end one day, but never attempting to do anything about it.

He reached the docks and climbed inside a boat grabbing the wooden oars. They were far heavier than he had imagined. "If I start rowing the guards will hear me, they're far too close."

The Emperor nodded, looking back at the few Fangpyre soldiers that were lazily leaning down against the fountain. "I'll take care of them. Get as far away as you can while they're distracted."

Lloyd nodded and the ghost vanished into nothingness before his eyes. He waited a few seconds, then a loud sound erupted for the eastern side of the village. Startled, the guards sat up and began running towards the source of the sound, their weapons raised. Ignoring the newfound soreness in his arms, Lloyd pushed the heavy oars into place and began to guide the boat away from the shore.

The ghost of the Emperor reappeared by his side, floating just beside the boat. "Now...Just keep rowing, we're bound to run into the Temple of Light."

"Wait, so you _don't _know how to get there?" Lloyd groaned.

"Not exactly, no." The ghost shook his head.

_Oh that's just great._


	8. Destiny

Chapter Eight: Destiny

Jay gave an undignified yawn, his mouth so wide he was sure a dragon could have found refuge within it. The fatigue was unbearable now, his legs feeling like two blocks of solid lead, barely clearing the ground with every step he took. Every muscle in his thighs had grown numb to the pain they had previously been feeling. Yawning once more, the puppeteer stretched his arms up in the air, trying to keep himself awake as his eyelids wavered over his hazel irises. Glancing over to his left, Jay could see that Kai was trudging slowly, his heavy boots leaving divots of dirt in his wake. Averting his gaze to his right, the puppeteer noticed Cole's head bowed slightly. He would shake his head back and forth furiously every now and then, blinking hard. Everyone was exhausted.

Except for Zane.

The android had taken the lead, Cole's medallion still in his possession. His steady gait had not changed since they had decided that finding the legendary Temple of Light was their best course of action. Unfortunately, as the night had stretched on, so had the distance between Zane and the others. The warrior was still well within their sights of course, but they were lagging behind terribly. Every now and then, Zane would notice his companions falling behind and signal for them to continue to follow him, but he never really seemed to slow down.

_Thump._

Pulling his mind back to the present, Jay stopped in his tracks and turned towards the blacksmith. Kai had collapsed on the ground, his face buried in the dirt, and the pale rays of sunshine peeking out over the horizon playing off of his brunet hair. "Kai," the puppeteer breathed, feeling adrenaline flooding through his body now, pushing the encroaching tiredness away completely. He knelt beside the unconscious blacksmith and rolled him over on to his side. The gentle rise and fall of Kai's chest was a huge relief. At least he was still alive. "Zane," Jay shouted, frantically searching for the android. "Zane, we need to stop!"

Hearing Jay's panicked voice shook Cole out of his exhaustion induced trance. Suddenly aware of the slowly rising sun and Zane turning around to come back towards them, the merchant looked around. Seeing Jay and Kai down in the dirt was nerve wracking. "What's going on?" he asked hurriedly, immediately kneeling beside Jay as Zane closed the distance between himself and the group. "What's wrong with Kai? Is he okay?"

"I-I don't know," the puppeteer answered in an anxious tone, keeping a strong hand on his friend's injured shoulder. The looming shadow of Zane was almost comforting in the given situation. He seemed very level-headed and just his presence was enough to start calming Jay down. "I think he just passed out," the puppeteer concluded, connecting several factors. Jay knew Kai had not eaten since the two of them had made their way out of Ignacia Village. The heat from the day in the jungle had been debilitating in addition to the blood loss from his injury. If Zane had not taken the time to wrap it on their way out of the jungle, it probably would have become infected. "None of us have slept within a day," Jay stated. "We're exhausted, hungry, and probably dehydrated. Kai's body just couldn't take it anymore, I guess." _Given a few more minutes, I know I would've been on the ground myself,_ his thoughts chimed in.

Cole nodded in agreement. As much as they needed to keep out of sight and try to make it to the Sunshine Temple or whatever it was they had decided to look for, they needed to try and keep their wits about them. They needed to keep their strength up. "Zane, we need to stop and rest before we all end up like this," the merchant stressed, rummaging around in his satchel for something, anything, that could be helpful in this situation. "We can't just keep going like you can. If we push ourselves too far, stuff like _this _can happen."

"My apologies," Zane said with a bow, feeling something that he had never truly felt before. A few words floated through his conscious mind. _Guilt. Remorse. Sympathy._ All of these emotions that he was now slowly recognizing as so, were still foreign to him. He was a warrior, built to perform designated tasks and nothing more. The more time he spent with these fugitives, the more he felt as if his programming was failing him. _Not fugitives_, his thoughts corrected yet again. _Friends_. "There is a very small village five miles from here. If we start moving immediately, we can make it there before the sun completely rises over the horizon. I suggest we attempt to make it there before the village becomes active."

It sounded like a good plan, but carrying Kai all the way to the village would be difficult. Jay glanced down at the blacksmith and frowned slightly. Despite the sudden burst of adrenaline that this entire situation had caused, Jay was positive that between himself and Cole, they could not manage to get Kai to the village as quickly as Zane wanted them to. Quickly thinking up a possible solution to this, Jay rubbed his bare hands together for a moment before place both of them on Kai's side. Shutting his eyes tightly, he tried to concentrate on making a spark like he had earlier. _If I can shock Kai awake, it'll be easier on everyone. _As the minutes slowly ticked by, it was becoming painfully obvious that Jay's ingenious plan was not working. "We're wasting time," the puppeteer heard Cole huff.

"Sorry, but I was trying to wake him up with my electricness," Jay shot right back, crossing his hands over his chest. "I don't see _you_ helping in any way."

Ignoring the debacle that was already beginning to escalate, Zane made his way in between the two bickering men and swiftly lifted Kai up off of the ground, tossing him over one of his shoulders. "Like I stated previously," the android interrupted, his expression not betraying a hint of emotion, "I suggest we attempt to make it there before the village becomes active." With that, the warrior turned on his heel and started trekking in the direction of the village, the weight of his unconscious companion not even fazing him. "There will be more time to rest and recuperate if we get there as quickly as possible," Zane called back, glancing behind him for a split second to see Jay and Cole following behind him at a steady pace. They would have to continue on their main journey later.

* * *

_He gulped, feeling the small bit of saliva in his mouth go down his throat roughly. There was no one around him. Jay. Cole. Zane. They were all gone. Turning around quickly, the blacksmith almost tripped over himself, his boots catching on a small hole in the earth. Before him stood a building he never wanted to see this close up, looming upwards towards the slate colored sky menacingly. "Pythor's castle," Kai barely whispered, feeling his blood run cold with ice. Taking a step backwards, Kai's right foot fell back into the hole he had previously stepped in, causing him to lose his balance and fall. The compacted dirt met his back roughly, causing him to cough and sputter, the air swiftly leaving his lungs. Gasping, Kai just stared up at the foreboding sky, feeling paralyzed. Why was he here? Where was everyone else?_

_"Finish the job then. You are under orders, if you remember correctly," stated a cold voice._

_Managing to push himself up with his shaking hands, Kai looked around for the source of the voice, unfortunately finding no one. "Who's there?" he called out, knowing full well that he would not want to know the answer. An unexplainable, ominous feeling overwhelmed him, causing his heart to beat faster as he scurried backwards with his hands, scanning the surrounding area fearfully. _Coward, _his thoughts hissed, practically screaming in his head. _You're running when you're right where you want to be. Pythor is right inside that castle. You can go in there and face him. End the torment for everyone. _"I can't," Kai breathed, feeling his muscles tremble with adrenaline and fear. "I'm just one person. I can't do it alone. I need help."_

_"Pathetic and pitiful human," came the voice again, causing Kai to scramble for the sword he knew was holstered around his waist. As his right hand touched nothing but the toughened leather of the holster, his heart sunk indefinitely. How was he going to defend himself? What was he going to do? "For acting out against the empire and all Serpentine kind, you will be punished with a lifetime of imprisonment." Realization crept over the blacksmith as he recognized the voice as belonging to the one individual he loathed so much. Pythor himself. "Of course, I am__ a serpent of kindness and mercy," the Anacondrai continued to muse, a condescending chuckle reverberating off of the empty air. "Someone as feisty as you would be unhappy in a cell for any amount of time. So I'll spare you the imprisonment and just have my associate take care of you now."_

_A rough hand appeared out of nowhere, lifting Kai up by his tunic and yanking him to his feet. Expecting to see Pythor himself, Kai was disoriented and surprised to see someone else. A familiar face. "The time to pay for your crimes has arrived," stated Zane, his expression placid and dark blue eyes full of indifference. Kai squirmed against the android's unyielding grip to no avail. Zane pushed the blacksmith forward, keeping a strong hand on his shoulder. Stumbling, Kai felt all of the fight that had been fueling him on his journey fade away completely. He was not the Golden Master. He was not even a hero. He was a lowly crafter of metal weapons, nothing more. Kai felt the warrior stop behind him and he glanced down with wary, brown eyes at the jagged edge of a dark abyss. "Do not worry," Zane said. "Your friends will be joining you soon enough."_

_Just as a primordial roar erupted from the darkness, a blinding light appeared from somewhere behind. Attempting to turn around, Kai noticed as Zane shielded his eyes, so he followed suit, holding a hand up and squinting in order to try and see what was happening. Through the golden aura, the blacksmith made out the silhouette of a person, slowly advancing. "Get rid of him now," commanded Pythor's voice from somewhere indeterminable. "The Golden Master cannot make it without all of his protectors." One final push. Kai felt himself falling backwards, watching as everything around him seemed to slow down. He watched as Zane's face seemed to come to life, eyes full of sorrow and guilt as he reached out a hand, attempting to grab Kai and stop his descent. As the android gripped nothing but air, his face fell and he was engulfed in the bright light._

_A warm and strong hand caught the end of Kai's sleeve. He looked up, just seeing the black silhouette of the person. "Who are you?" he asked, forgetting that he was dangling down in a never-ending trench of blackness. The figure spoke no words and gently lifted Kai up and out of his precarious predicament. Now on solid ground, the adrenaline pumping through his body was overwhelming and Kai just shook, staying on his hands and knees. "Th-Thank you for saving me." Feeling a few strands of his brunet hair sticking to his forehead with perspiration, the blacksmith took one last glance upwards at his savior. All he could make out was a pair of bright, emerald eyes through the light. As suddenly as the stranger had appeared, he vanished, leaving palpable darkness in his wake._

* * *

"Keep breathing like that and you're going to hyperventilate."

Kai shot upwards, nearly colliding with Cole in the process. The merchant raised a bushy eyebrow, barely visible through his raven hued hair. "Whoa, whoa, calm down," he continued, placing a hand on Kai's chest and nearly spilling the canteen of water he held in his other hand. "You're fine. Everything's fine." Seeing the spiky haired brunet glancing around fearfully, Cole just gave him a moment to get a bearing on the unfamiliar surroundings. As the minutes passed by slowly, Kai finally stopped acting belligerent. "Like I said, everything is fine and you're fine. You passed out back on the road and I can't say I blame you," Cole said calmly, handing the canteen to Kai who accepted it quickly, thrusting the spout into his mouth and feeling the cold liquid slide effortlessly down his throat.

"Thank you," he replied, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before giving the canteen back to his companion. "Where is everyone else though?" Kai questioned, feeling the familiar sensation of adrenaline flooding through his veins. Images from his dream quickly traversed trough his conscious mind, causing the blacksmith to shiver. There was a renewed suspicion of Zane that Kai could not shake. Yes, everything that had happened had only been a dream, but the android was first and foremost a servant of the Serpentine. He was going to be extremely careful around him now, preparing for betrayal at a moment's notice. "Where even are we?"

After taking a quick swig from the canteen, Cole placed the rounded object safely into the confines of his satchel. "You were out for longer than you think," the merchant started with a sigh. "It's been a little over a day now. Zane persuaded a recently retired merchant to give us one of his carts for transporting goods. We've been wheeling you around on that, under the cover of a few blankets and shawls." Noticing how unamused Kai appeared at this information, Cole gave a small chuckle. "Hey, we couldn't be seen just dragging around an unconscious person across Ninjago. It would've looked really suspicious. Drawn more attention to ourselves and you know we can't afford unwanted attention." He received a nod of understanding from Kai before he finished off his thoughts. "We're in Sekhmet now, in a village close to the Traveler's Port. Zane went to go get a boat and Jay went to go and get some more supplies before we head out."

Was everyone completely delusional? "How can they just walk around doing whatever?" Kai sputtered. If Jay was recognized by a serpent, or even another person that reported to a serpent, then they were going to be in a world of trouble. "You were just saying that we don't want to draw attention to ourselves. This could be some pretty big attention if they're recognized, Cole." Slowly getting to his feet and feeling slightly dizzy, Kai leaned back against the sandstone, alley wall behind him. The air was not as muggy here as it had been in the southern kingdom. It was a breath of fresh air, literally. Though Kai could not be sure which Serpentine would be a worse adversary: the Venomari or the Fangpyre. At least if they had been subdued by Venomari, the effects of the venom eventually wore off. Fangpyre venom on the other hand was dangerous to mess with.

"Calm down, hothead," the merchant huffed, following Kai's lead and standing up, brushing his damp hair out of his eyes. "Jay might be...well...Jay, but he isn't necessarily stupid. He hasn't gotten recognized yet so I'm sure he knows what he's doing. You told me yourself the guy managed to perform particularly illegal shows and was never caught. The guy is pretty sneaky." Cole had to admit that they had a pretty good team going on and he caught himself thinking about them succeeding in their plan to somehow overthrow Emperor Pythor. It was still pretty much impossible, but the hope was almost overwhelming at times. _If Zane turns on us, it'll all be over_, he thought despite himself, quickly shaking the negative idea from his head. "Everything will be okay."

"Hey guys!" shouted an extremely chipper voice. Kai and Cole looked off to the right to see Jay running merrily along, a wide grin spread across his face and his hair messily parted on the left side of his head, causing some of his auburn hair to cascade down across his forehead. "I got stuff for our trip to the temple! We got food so we won't starve to death!"

Cole felt his heart sink and slid a hand down his tired face. If he had known that Jay's "disguise" would have been just flipping his hair a different way, he would have never defended him so quickly. Maybe Jay was not sneaky or cunning. Jay was just stupidly lucky. He caught the unmistakable sound of Kai snickering and shot him a glare. "That's great, Jay," the merchant replied warily as the puppeteer finally stopped in front of them, picking up Cole's satchel and haphazardly shoving a barrage of bread and fruit inside. "Next time just try to stay a little more inconspicuous though. We don't want to get caught."

"Yeah, of course," the puppeteer answered. "That was why I disguised myself. There's no way we can get caught." His hazel eyes bounced between Cole and Kai, studying their faces. Cole looked very annoyed and Kai held a hint of amusement in every one of his features. "It doesn't matter anyhow. I didn't get caught and now we have to meet Zane at the port so we can find a ship and get the heck out of here. There are a lot of Fangpyres hanging around and they make me really nervous."

A quiet chirp came from above and the three looked up to see the odd, grey falcon that belonged to Zane flapping its wings as it hovered just out of reach. Holding out an arm, Jay gestured for the mechanical creature to land and, to his surprise, it happily obliged. After taking a second to properly perch itself and dig its talons into the blue fabric of Jay's sleeve for a strong grip, the falcon opened its beak. "Forgive me for this, but there has been a slight change in plan," came Zane's voice, slightly garbled and staticky. Kai felt the atmosphere around them grow much more tense. Was Zane finally coming to his senses and handing them over? "I have successfully gotten a vessel for our travels, but I was untruthful to the Serpentine guards in my efforts. The cart that we have been using to transport Kai is now needed. In order for me to take the vessel to the island, I must be carrying goods. The three of you will be my goods."

Cole gave a nod and leaned in closer to the bird. "Gotcha. We're back in an alley not too far away from the port itself. We'll be waiting for you." With that, the falcon shut its beak tightly, its yellow eyes eyeing them each before it released its hold on Jay's shirt and shot upwards into the sky. "I hope he gets here soon," the merchant sighed, leaning back against the alley wall once more. "The sun is pretty high in the sky right now and that just makes me really anxious. It's a lot easier to be seen and if this plan of his doesn't work out, we'll definitely be caught."

"Yeah, definitely," the blacksmith reluctantly agreed, feeling more nervous than he had previously. _The three of you will be my goods_. Yet again, the images of Zane pushing him towards the ominous abyss surrounding Pythor's castle bombarded him and he sucked in a breath nervously. How much longer would the android be on their side? Talking with the Serpentine could have cleared his mind and made him realize that he was going against everything he had been programmed to do. "We just have to hope for the best, I guess."

* * *

His breath was ragged and uneven as he clamped his hands down harder over his nose and mouth. _Don't make a sound. Don't even think about making a sound_, Jay thought desperately as he squeezed his eyes shut and focused more on trying to keep quiet. It was so difficult though. Laying between both Kai and Cole, several blankets and shawls concealing them from sight, was very hot. The fabric above trapping the heat from the sun and mixing with the heat coming from their own bodies. Kai in particular was very warm. Every time the wheels of the cart hit a bump, Jay found himself bumping up against the blacksmith and instantly regretting it. The guy felt like a volcano. _No wonder he passed out earlier. Maybe he has a fever or something_, the puppeteer settled on, distracting himself from his conscious effort to stifle his heavy breathing.

"The more you think about it, the worse it's going to be," Cole barely whispered, keeping his amber eyes focused on the canopy above him. The layers of fabric filtered the struggling sunlight oddly, casting a muddy glow around them all. It was kind of peaceful. The atmosphere around them and even the sound of the cart's wooden wheels trekking across the uneven ground. If there was not the ever present worry of being thrown in jail, Cole would have probably taken a nap. His hands tightened around the satchel that he was holding close to his chest and he became aware of Jay's breathing subsiding to a small sound. "There you go. Just keep your cool," he smiled.

Very potent, the smell of salt wafted through the air and Kai crinkled his nose. He had never been to the sea before and so far, he was not enjoying the experience. Suddenly, the movement of the cart halted and he felt his hands clench into tight fists as the rest of his muscles tensed up. Jay's breathing was beginning to sound shaky once more, but he quickly regulated it again, much to Kai's relief. "As I had stated earlier, I am here to deliver food and other goods to the Temple of Light," the blacksmith heard Zane say. "Shall you help me load the cart onto the ship then?"

There was a a bit of grumbling and hissing as the cart started moving yet again. _Please, Zane_, Kai thought to himself helplessly. _Please don't let this be a trap. Please don't turn us over to them._

"Have you found them yet?" came one of the Serpentine guards. "The fugitives that Pythor wants caught?" Cole felt Jay squirm beside him and he moved one of his hands from his satchel to the puppeteer's shoulder reassuringly. "We're all aware that he sent you out to find them personally, but here you are delivering goods to the Temple of Light. Shouldn't they be more of a priority right now?" Despite the cart continuing to move, everything grew silent. Kai involuntarily twitched and felt his boot hit the wooden rails of the cart, producing a low, thudding sound. All movement ceased and the three fugitives waited with bated breath for something to happen. "Did you hear that?" asked the same voice. A few of the blankets set above them moved and Jay thought his heart was going to explode with anxiety.

"I heard nothing," Zane commented, his voice sounding like sharpened steel. "I do not appreciate the accusatory tone of your voice though," he continued as the cart resumed motion, much to his companions' relief. "I would not be undertaking a new task if I was not ordered to do so. The fugitives are very cunning, disappearing every time I get close to them. It becomes very tiring." The words hung in the air, seemingly gathering credibility. Kai was surprised by how effectively the android was deceiving his own comrades. Gravity pulled down on all three of them as they felt the cart being angled up a hill, no doubt being loaded on to the ship that Zane had been talking about. "As soon as I finish this delivery like Emperor Pythor has instructed me to, I will be back on the hunt. You can rest easy knowing that I will find them and they will be punished for their crimes against the crown."

Silence. It stretched on for a longer period of time. The cart was horizontal once more, rolling along an even surface before stopping completely. "My apologies, sir," the guard hissed, but Jay could hear the contempt dripping in his voice. "Have a safe voyage and return swiftly to catch the criminals before they do something else." With that, the three fugitives listened as footsteps retreated across the wooden deck and disappeared entirely. Jay shifted to try and sit up, but Cole kept a grip on his shoulder and shook his head. It was not safe. Not quite yet.

Seconds ticked by into minutes. The minutes seemed to stretch on like hours until the gentle rocking of the ground underneath the cart became apparent. Sudden, blinding sunlight greeted the three fugitives as the blankets and shawls were quickly removed from above them. Jay groaned loudly, clamping his hands down over his eyes in protest. "My apologies," Zane frowned, tossing the items down on to the lightly tanned deck of the ship. "I just wanted for you to know that the coast is clear now. We are on the open sea."

Kai continued to blink the colored spots out of his vision as he sat up. Zane was right though. The coastline of Ninjago was barely visible on the horizon behind them and he breathed a sigh of relief. They had done it. They had made it out of the country without being seen or caught. "Thanks, Zane," the blacksmith replied honestly, giving the warrior a solid pat on the back. "You did it. We couldn't have made it this far without you, you know. You even lied for us. I thought for sure if one of the snakes had asked, you would have just given us up then."

"I cannot say that the thought did not cross my mind," the warrior stated sadly, gazing up at the stark white sails that fluttered in the afternoon breeze. "I am beginning to realize something though. I am more like the three of you than I am the Serpentine. It instills a sense of connection that I have never fully encountered before." With that, Zane grabbed the satchel from Cole's lap and rummaged around until he found the shining, golden medallion that was supposed to be the map. "When the three holes within this artifact line up with spots of light upon the horizon, then the Temple of Light has been found. Until then, we sail onward."

Watching as the android clothed in white made his way to the helm of the ship, Cole took a second to grab a loaf of bread from his satchel before closing it. He broke the end of the baked dough into chunks and offered some to the two men beside him. Jay did not hesitate to accept the food and hungrily gobbled the bread down in seconds. Kai also took what he was offered and slowly began to eat it, only now realizing how much his stomach burned with hunger. At least they actually had food now. "Zane was gonna turn us in," the puppeteer piped up, glancing nervously between his two friends. "We would have been so hooped."

"He didn't though," the blacksmith answered in a stern tone, carefully stepping out of the cart and feeling the smooth surface of the ship's deck underneath his boots. It was not a huge sailing vessel, but it held enough space for a small crew. A large, red dragon's head protruded from the front, appearing very intimidating. Leaning against the golden railing of the ship, Kai glanced down at the deep mahogany hue of the hull and squinted his eyes as something painted on the side of the vessel caught his eye. It was an eight pointed star with a gaping hole in the middle, a symbol he recognized from the few picture books of his youth. "Destiny," he whispered, hearing the whistle of the wind in his ears and feeling the salt of the sea sting his nose. "Destiny is somehow allowing us to make it this far."

A short snort sounded from Kai's left and he turned to see Cole leaning against the railing of the ship too. "Let's just hope you're right and it actually _is_ destiny. Who knows, it could just be luck." The merchant saw Kai eyeing him and he just shrugged, resting his chin on his folded arms. "And luck always runs out..."


	9. The Teacher

Chapter 9-The Teacher

Lloyd's head rested against the side of the boat, the muscles in his arms burning after rowing and rowing through the vast Serpent Sea. He could hear the ghost of the Emperor urging him to get up and keep moving. But he couldn't move anymore. His head was pounding, causing a nauseating feeling to spread through his body. Lloyd felt as if he were going to be sick, but there were no contents inside his stomach to begin with.

The Emperor's nagging voice continued to pulse around him. Lloyd closed his eyes, trying to shut it out. It was only making his headache worse. Besides, what was the point in listening? It's not like the ghost knew where they were going. Once again, Lloyd began to wonder whether he had done the right thing. It would have been better to keep his head low and continue on with his life. After all, he was just a kid. He couldn't fix everything. Not alone. And he _was_ alone. He had always been alone.

The boat lurched to a stop, causing Lloyd's head to fall back against the boat's interior. His eyes widened at the impact, staring up at the blue empty sky in shock. The Emperor looked down at him, a smirk forming on his handsome features. "Are you listening now? I've been trying to tell you that the island was right in front of us. You're extremely lucky that the current didn't carry you away while you were wallowing in self-pity."

Lloyd sat up rubbing the back of his head. Looking behind him, his eyes locked onto the island spreading before him. Light brown sand covered most of the beach, turning into dark brown mud where the island's jungle began. And in the center of it all, stood the Temple of Light.

He climbed out of the boat, walking towards the temple with eyes full of wonder. Lloyd forgot his hunger and thirst, driven forward by pure curiosity. He ran his hands across the gorgeous images painted upon the temple's wall. Once again, his eyes focused on the small boyish figure that was bathed in golden light.

"That's the Golden Master." A heavy voice sneaked into Lloyd's ears. He jumped back, moving his hand away from the temple. When Lloyd turned, he spotted an aging man smiling down at him. He had a long white beard, thick pale eyebrows, and a pair of powerful light blue eyes. "Surely you know the legend of the young man who will drive away the Serpentine?"

Lloyd shook his head, clutching the golden book tightly with his left hand. There was something strange about the man, a twinkle within his aged eyes that seemed...oddly familiar.

The man pointed at the four figures surrounding the golden boy. Each of them was cloaked by a different element. Fire, lighting, ice, and earth. Together, they seemed to form a shield around the golden boy. "Humanity can be saved from the suffocating grip of the Serpentine. When the time is right, the Creator will choose four warriors to control nature's elements. They will fight alongside the Golden Master, and together they will bring the land of Ninjago back into the light."

Lloyd nodded slowly, his eyes glued to the image before him. A strange feeling of desire overwhelmed him. He wanted to be the Golden Master. He wanted to fight back against those who had hurt him.

_With power like that, you could make everyone else suffer as much as you did_, a small whisper in the back of his head suggested. Lloyd chased away the thought, focusing his attention back on the old man, who had begun to talk again.

"...Gladly teach you how to fight, since you have discovered my temple. But I wouldn't want to push you, not in the state you're in. Go inside, and head for the first room on your right. A warm bath, a mouth-watering meal, and a soft bed await you. But first thing tomorrow, your training will begin. If you truly wish to become the Golden Master, young Lloyd, then you have a long hard road ahead of you."

"Thank you...Sir," Lloyd said, his eyebrows frowning slightly. How had the old man known his name?

"Sir?" The old man chuckled. "That won't do. Call me Sensei."

"Yes, Si-" Lloyd cleared his throat. "Sensei."

As Lloyd stepped into the temple, the Sensei stayed back, looking out towards the sea. The ghost of the Emperor appeared beside him, without turning to face him, Sensei smiled once again. "It's been a while...Brother."

"Indeed," the Emperor nodded. "It took far longer than I expected for me to bring Lloyd here. I was...afraid of him getting hurt. Ninjago is deadly for a rebel nowadays, Wu. No one can speak up against the Serpentine and survive."

"Not very different from when you were Emperor, Garmadon." Wu turned to face his brother, blue eyes watery as he recalled the memories of the chaos his own brother had caused. "It was your own greed and lust for power that called the Serpentine to the land of Ninjago..."

"Don't you think I know that well enough? I paid a heavy price for my mistakes. My wife died in my arms and now my son is destined to carry the burden of all the pain that I caused." Garmadon sighed. "Lloyd's life will be full of torment because of me. I don't need you to remind me of what I've done."

"It was my fault too," Wu looked back towards the ocean, not able to look his brother in the eye. "I should have stepped up and stopped you myself. But I was afraid, and instead, I turned to Ninjago's legends...I had thought the Serpentine would stop you and retreat back into their tombs. I did not think that their lust for power was as great as yours...the suffering of the people is my burden as much as it is yours."

"We single handedly destroyed the land of Ninjago..."

"But we will fix it, Garmadon. Your son is here. Others are coming. The spirit smoke does not lie. This land will soon be back to the way it was."

"Nothing is that easy, brother." Garmadon shook his head. "There is always a price to pay. I just pray, for my son's sake, that this price does not destroy him..."

* * *

Lloyd's mouth hung open, and his eyes seemed to be widened to their limits. The room before him was impressive. Every inch of it held more luxuries than Lloyd had ever thought possible. Upon a table, there were multiple jars. Each of them held a different liquid, and Lloyd spent a good amount of time attempting to try them all. There was apple, grape, orange, and lots of other flavors that were strange and exotic.

After coughing up a drink that had sent a burning sensation down his unexperienced throat, Lloyd began to examine the food. He had never seen so many edible things in one place. It was tempting to shove every little morsel into his mouth. The smells were wonderful, and the taste was even better. His stomach wasn't satisfied until he had tried a bit from each plate.

Once Lloyd was full, a sensation he had _never _experience before, he walked towards the bath. Steam rose from it, and when Lloyd bent down to touch it, the warmth sent a pleasant sensation throughout his body. He stared at the water for a while, still trying to process everything around him. It was all too unreal. _He _was taking a bath. The lower than dirt slave was about to experience something that only the richest aristocrats could have. Eagerly stepping out of his old, dirty outfit, Lloyd climbed into the bath. As the warm water massaged the dirt off his body, a thought occurred to him.

"I'm free," he chuckled. "I'm not a slave anymore. I'm just...me."

"That's right."

Sensei walked into the room, carrying a green gi in his arms. A belt, colored the same shade as the fighting uniform, rested around Sensei's shoulders. Startled at the sudden appearance of the old man, Lloyd yelped softly, sliding his body further into the water to try and cover every inch of himself.

"Don't mind me. I've just brought your new outfit. I wouldn't want to see you in those rags you were wearing when you arrived." Sensei Wu set the belt and clothes down on the bed. "You should sleep soon, your training will start as soon as the sun rises."

Lloyd's head was almost underwater, and he remained that way until Sensei stepped out of the room. Once Lloyd was sure the old man wasn't going to wander in again, he relaxed, and began to clean his body using a sticky, sweet smelling substance. The cleaning process was satisfying. It was as if he were scrubbing every bit of his old life away, away, away, where it would never find him again.

Once he was clean, Lloyd changed into his new clothes. They were comfortable, the fabric soft against his skin. When he tied the green belt around his waist, he looked towards the mirror, fearfully stepping closer, not knowing what to expect. A small, green eyed boy looked back at him. His posture made him look timid, but there was a spark of fire behind his eyes. Lloyd stroked his hair, Playing around with different styles. He walked even closer, studying every inch of his face. Once he was satisfied, he smiled at his reflection, childishly waving at the new version of himself.

"You're free Lloyd," a sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips. "You're finally free..."

* * *

Sensei had _not _been kidding about starting Lloyd's training early in the morning.

The young man had stumbled out of bed, regretting every bit of food he had eaten the day before. His stomach was not used to having so many thing to digest, and it had begun to spread sickening cramps all around Lloyd's body. Sensei did not seem to care. He made Lloyd run all around the island only allowing him to stop when every inch of the young man was covered with salty sweat. Lloyd was allowed a few minutes to catch his breath and gulp down a few cups of cool water. Before he could relax, however, Sensei Wu made him start to run once again.

Training was not any easier the next day. Or the day after that. Each day, Sensei would create countless exercises for Lloyd to stumble through. Every inch of his body was sore, and every time he moved, something within him pulsed with uncomfortable pain.

But he pushed through everything. Training might feel like jumping into a pool full of sharp blades, but in the end it was worth it. He was becoming stronger. And that's all that mattered to Lloyd. Every time Sensei pushed him forward, Lloyd could feel himself becoming better and better.

On the last day of the week, Sensei allowed Lloyd to head to his room far earlier than usual. When Lloyd questioned him, he was glad to get a break, but it was a strange change of attitude from the old man. A mischievous twinkle shone in Sensei Wu's blue eyes. "You need to get a good rest tonight. The four teachers that will show you how to control the elements around you will arrive tomorrow after all..."


	10. Great Potential

Chapter Ten: Great Potential

His eyes followed the bouncing movement of the cerulean waves as they continued to gently lap against the hull of the dark wood. An uneasy feeling overwhelmed him and Cole took to drumming his fingers against the wooden railing in front of him. There was just something about large bodies of water that had always made him uncomfortable. He had never learned how to swim, not that his father had been around enough to try and teach him either. After his mother had died in a house fire when he was still just a toddler, his father had never really been the same.

Was he cruel? Definitely not on purpose, or even in the ways that a majority of people would assume. There was never any physical abuse or anything, Cole had just always felt ignored. He could never live up to the standards his father had set for him and he always felt like nothing he did was ever good enough. Failure always seemed to embrace him when he was looking for success. So he had left, when he felt like he had mustered up the courage to. Cole had left his father in his wake to go traveling and try to make a life of his own. There were times when the merchant still felt like he was standing in the shadow of the person his father had wanted him to be.

Letting his amber irises lazily drift towards the horizon, Cole gave a small sigh. They had been on the water for almost two days straight now and he was starting to become really anxious. "Please just let us find this place soon," he mumbled, burying his slightly nauseous head down into the crook of his arm.

* * *

It had been about five days now. Kai had been keeping track, making a little notch in one of the masts as each new day started. Today he was in the small quarters where the captain would sit and chart courses with a navigator. Of course, they had neither a captain or navigator. At this point in time, Kai would nominate Zane as being the captain of the ship. He had taken charge on getting them on board the vessel to begin with as well as navigating the ocean. _Guess he can be the navigator too then_, the blacksmith chuckled internally. _The guy never really sleeps so he's always at the wheel._

Several differentiating thoughts had been plaguing Kai soon after their maritime adventure had begun.

Was Nya okay? She was extremely tough, tougher than Kai could have ever thought she would be. Growing up with just a brother for a little over a decade had to have played into that somehow. Now she was on her own though and the blacksmith was becoming increasingly worried about her well being as the days went by. Every dream that the brunet had remembered since being on the sea involved seeing his sister being tortured, begging for mercy at the hands of the Serpentine. The false images had seemingly been burned into his retinas and he could see their ghostly outlines if he closed his eyes for too long.

Did the Temple of Light even exist? It had always seemed like a myth to him. A bed time story that parents would read to their children, falsely assuring them that there was hope somewhere in the world, to ease them through their current predicaments. Zane had seemed absolutely convinced that the temple existed though and he was not about to argue with an android that was programmed with knowledge that was no longer readily available to the general public. Maybe the stories his mother read to him when he was little were not just stories. Perhaps they were fact that had been turned into nothing but ash by a tyrannical emperor.

What could they do? This whole journey seemed peaceful in a way. Four people who shared similar intentions and interests traveling together. _Well_, Kai's consciousness interrupted, _three people with similar intentions and one robot with just a good sense of moral obligation_. Even if they were to find the Temple of Light and were able to talk with this mythical old man about what they could do to put an end to the Serpentine's reign, would they actually be able to do it? Sure, his mother had told him before when he was little that it only took one person to be a hero, but what good was one person against an entire race of humanoid serpent creatures, let alone just four? It was all good in theory, but in practice, could be absolutely disastrous.

Kai leaned back in the chair that was bolted to the floor with rusty metal and rested his legs on the table in front of him. He could see the toes of his heavy boots caked in old mud and foliage from the forest, but he rolled his eyes. Appearances meant absolutely nothing, especially if you were on the run from the law. This completely irrelevant thought drudged up the final question that had been weighing heavy on Kai's mind. How had he burned Cole? Immediately, the blacksmith rested his hands in his lap, palms facing upwards. There was still no indication of being burned or anything, just the aged callouses from his years of metal working. _Maybe if I get mad again, then I'll be able to burn something else..._

* * *

"My parents always told me I was a really chipper boy growing up and, heck, I believe them! That's when I thought 'hey, if I'm always pretty happy, maybe I can make _other_ people happy too'! Then I turned to puppeteering because the kids are the future and if they're happy then maybe the future can be a brighter place." Jay continued to babble on, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, watching as Zane steadily steered the ship along the never-ending sea. "I'd been doing it for two years or so and I knew it was probably getting the Serpentine all mad, so I decided to make myself scarce after every performance. Staying alive has always been a big priority of mine."

Zane just nodded as he kept his dark blue eyes fixed on the ocean in front of them. He was not hungry, but he could hear the complaints of Kai sounding from behind him. They had run out of food yesterday and being on the open sea for a week was not a pleasant experience for anybody. If they did not find the Temple of Light soon, the android was not sure he would be able to turn around and make it back to the mainland before his companions met a dark fate.

"Can I see the medallion thing?" Jay asked politely, holding a hand out towards Zane. Obliging him, the warrior quietly handed the golden map over to the puppeteer who grinned in return. "Thanks! I really like the way this thing looks." Holding the ancient disk out at arm's length, Jay held it up at eye level, watching as the bright rays of the breaking dawn filtered perfectly between the three holes. "Hey, look at that! This matched up with the lights on the horizon. How cool is that?"

Turning his head quickly, Zane blinked for a moment before speaking. "I beg your pardon," was all he managed to say as the auburn haired man closed the distance between them, allowing the warrior to have a better look at the map. He could not believe his eyes. Jay was correct, the lights in the distance were matching up with the spaces in the medallion. "You have found the island that the Temple of Light sits upon, Jay. We should arrive in an hour or so."

* * *

As they approached the exterior of the temple, Kai felt a mixture of relief and confidence overwhelm him simultaneously. Relief at the sure fact that they had made it safely to their destination and confidence in the choice they had made. This _was_ the right place. They were meant to come here, he could feel the certainty rooted deep into his bones. The deep red hue of the outer walls was offset with soft, golden embellishments and statuettes adorning the roof and sides. A large mural was visible near the entrance of the temple, depicting an image he was familiar with: the Golden Master and his elemental protectors. Still in awe that the place he had heard about in the fairy tales from his youth actually existed, the blacksmith quietly followed his companions as Zane led them into the only visible entrance.

"Greetings," the android bellowed, hearing his voice echo off the walls all around them. The first interior room of the temple was larger than he had anticipated from the outside, but was empty nonetheless. "We seek the resident of this temple and mean no harm. We only wish to talk."

At first, the only response to Zane's voice was silence. The four guys stepped forward, walking slowly, as if they were afraid to disturb the eerie atmosphere that surrounded them. A loud _thud_ made them jump slightly, and Jay whimpered softly, cowering back against Cole. The door had closed behind them.

"This is not cool. I want out," the young, hazel eyed man muttered, still hiding against Cole's muscled body.

"No, no, there's gotta be something," Kai shook his head, refusing to believe the temple was empty. Destiny had led them here. Destiny was never wrong. Kai's destiny was hiding here somewhere. He just had to find it, had to become the Golden Master. "We didn't just sail on that dumb ship for ages only to find _nothing_". The blacksmith stumbled forward, forcing the others to travel further into the temple.

"It is rather rude to wander around, uninvited." A voice came from behind the four companions. They all turned towards its source, finding an elderly man with a long, white beard slowly walking towards them.

He narrowed his eyes in response and gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, feeling the muscles up and down the length of his arm flex. "It's pretty rude to just sneak up on people too," Kai countered, scrutinizing the aging man indefinitely. Judging solely on appearance, he was the stereotypical wise man come to life straight out of the pages of a folktale. Maybe this was the guy that they needed to look for, the one that would help them figure out a way to rid Ninjago of the Serpentine.

"Our apologies," Zane piped up, resting a hand on Kai's healing shoulder. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the blacksmith relinquish his hold on the sword. "We did not mean to intrude, sir. Are you the one we seek? The man that lives here?" Despite the obvious fact that only one individual was approaching them, the android felt as if there were others in the immediate area. Could one of these other energies he was perceiving be the man they had come to speak with?

"Indeed," the man nodded, smiling at Zane. "Though, I must say, it took you an awfully long time to reach me. I had expected a bit more from the people destined to save Ninjago." Stepping even closer, the old man began to study each one of the young men that stood before him. He shook his head, a small sigh escaping his thin lips. "None of you are ready to face the challenges before you. I fear the only one here that has any idea of how to proceed in battle would be Pythor's personal guard. The rest of you wouldn't last a second against the Serpentine."

"Are you saying we're gonna die?" Jay asked nervously, eyes inexplicably locked on to the elderly man. "I don't want to die! None of us want to die! Maybe this was just a bad idea and we'll go back to Ninjago." He shifted uncomfortably beside Cole, feeling as if his insides were slowly turning to jelly. This had been a stupid plan all along. Why had he let Kai so easily convince him that this was something they could actually do? Defeating the Serpentine was impossible and he knew that.

The merchant could almost feel the anxiety rolling off of Jay in waves. "No one is leaving. We just got here and the only thing waiting for us back in Ninjago is imprionment." Turning his unwavering gaze towards the strange man as well, he felt his resolve falter slightly. "Are you saying that there isn't anything we can do to try and fight the Serpentine? Nothing at all?"

"I'm pretty sure you guys are missing some important things," the blacksmith interrupted, taking an abrupt step towards the bearded man. "How did you know Zane worked for Pythor? What do you mean by 'destined to save Ninjago'?" Everything about this guy seemed a bit off. He was probably insane from spending so much time on this secluded island, spending each and every day talking to no one but himself. "How can you expect us to believe that you know what you're talking about and aren't just some kook?"

"There _is_ something you can do," the man answered Cole, completely ignoring Kai's own questions. "You can train and work hard in controlling your elemental powers. This temple will serve as your home until you are strong enough to serve your purpose. I will teach you everything you need to know. After all, I _am_ the best teacher in Ninjago."

"Elemental powers?" Jay stood a bit taller, a shy smile spreading across his lips. "You mean we'll be able to just _pow pow_ enemies? That's so cool! Will you really teach us how to fight...uh...sir?"

"I will teach you far more than fighting," the man smiled. "Please though, call me Sensei Wu."

Kai inhaled deeply, trying to internally deal with the fact that the old man had completely ignored what he had to say. Everything happening right now was serious. The world had spiraled into absolute darkness and this guy just expected them to accept the fact that he was going to train them to fight and hold their own against the Serpentine? He was nothing but an aged recluse. "Okay then, 'Sensei Wu'," the blacksmith tried again, spitting the last two words out into the open air, "what gives you the right to call yourself the best teacher in Ninjago? You look like you could barely throw a punch."

"It is also rude to speak to elders with such contempt," the android stated plainly, his gaze fixed upon his companion. "We came to this temple to seek guidance, Kai, and Sensei Wu is willing to provide us with that."

Sensei Wu raised an eyebrow, somewhat amused at the blacksmith's fiery temper. "I look like I could barely throw a punch, do I? Allow me to teach you a lesson, young man." Without hesitating, the old man pulled the front of Kai's shirt, easily flipping him over. Kai slammed against the ground, the impact sending waves of pain throughout his skull. The edges of his vision darkened slightly as he struggled to fill his lungs with precious oxygen. Sensei Wu smirked, satisfied. "Looks can be deceiving. I could beat every one of you without breaking a sweat. Now, would you like to be my students, or will you crawl back into the hands of the Serpentine?"

"We'll be your students," Cole spoke up, answering for everyone without a moment of hesitation. With that single display of swift, offensive combat, the merchant was absolutely convinced that they were in capable hands. If Sensei Wu said that the only one among them with a chance of holding their own against the Serpentine was, in fact, Zane, then he had no choice but to believe it. "There's no way we're going to go back to the mainland without learning something from you, Sensei."

Kai exhaled shakily, still attempting to get his wits about him after being thrown to the floor so forcefully. Gritting his teeth, the blacksmith managed to get himself into a sitting position, pressing his bare hands firmly against the chilled marble floor. Sensei? The guy threw him down onto the ground and now suddenly he was worthy of training them, of being called their teacher? _You want to be the Golden Master_, his thoughts added suddenly. _Suck it up and the old man can help you become the hero you've always wanted to be. The hero that your sister believes you are._ "Yeah, fine, you can teach us," Kai grunted, getting to his feet slowly and rolling his shoulders to collect himself. Without waiting for another word from his newly found sensei, the blacksmith turned on his heel and stormed down the nearest hallway, leaving his companions in his wake.

He walked fast, grumbling under his breath. He didn't know where he was going, but he knew he had to get away. Anger burned inside of him and he could feel his skin getting warmer and warmer. His vision blurred, but he continued to move forward. His legs were moving faster and faster and, soon, he was running through the dimly lit hall. The rage filled him with energy. He had to do something. _Anything_. He just needed-

_Slam!_

Kai's body collided with the body of a short, blonde boy. The boy stumbled back, gasping with surprise. By the look in his green eyes, Kai could see the boy had not entirely been paying attention to the world around him either. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you." The boy stepped back, eyeing Kai's sword with both fascination and fear.

Being ripped from his sole concentration on how angry and embarrassed he was, Kai felt everything around him slow down. His breathing regulated and he was able to clear his mind enough to assess what was going on right here, right now. "Yeah, well, maybe you should watch where you're walking next time," he answered sourly, only recognizing that he should have taken the same advice after the words were out in the open. Kai watched with slight amusement as the boy's eyes drifted down to the sword slung around his waist. "What, never seen a blade before?" he asked genuinely, though the tone of his voice was sharp.

"Oh, I've seen swords," the blonde answered quietly, almost as if he was remembering something that scared or saddened him. "Plenty of them." With that, he turned his brilliant, emerald eyes up towards the man he had run into.

Kai had a sudden flash of recognition in the short moment that the kid met his gaze. Those eyes, they were like the ones from the terrible nightmare he remembered. The one where Pythor was trying to have him thrown down into the dark pit. The eyes that belonged to the Golden Master. _That was just a dream, dummy. Lots of people have green eyes_, he told himself. _Besides, this kid is a runt_. "I didn't think there was actually suppose to be anyone else here at the temple," the blacksmith managed to say, breaking the palpable silence that had fallen between the two. "My, uh, friend told me that there was just an old man and we met him already. So who are you?"

"My name's Lloyd," he frowned slightly, as if trying to bring back a memory that refused to return. "At least I think it is. I don't remember anyone but myself calling me that."

Lloyd rubbed his palms against the side of his shirt, getting rid of the annoying bits of sweat that had begun to form. The man before him made him a bit nervous. Heat seemed to be almost radiating from his sunburned skin. Besides, the man's eyes were extremely intimidating. Lloyd could not maintain eye contact for very long.

"I came here not too long ago," Lloyd continued as Kai's eyes pressed him for more answers. "A gho-...someone led me here, talking about destiny and whatnot. I couldn't really refuse. It was either this or being a slave until my death, and this is much, much better."

Ignoring the bit of hesitation that Lloyd presented while explaining how he came to the temple, Kai crossed his arms over his chest in thought. This kid had been a slave? The blacksmith eyed him carefully, examining the boy from head to toe. He was thinly built, but not malnourished or anything. On top of that, Lloyd seemed to have a healthy glow about him, not something commonly seen with slaves. It was true then, that being at the Temple of Light was much better than a life of enslavement. _Better than being thrown into jail for being a fugitive too_. Feeling his previous anger dissolve completely, he gave the blonde boy a small smile. "Well, glad to hear it then, Lloyd."

"I see you have already met young Lloyd," spoke a kind voice. Kai glanced over his shoulder to see the old man standing behind him, the others in tow. "Glad that you could get acquainted before you begin your training. Now, which one of you would like to be trained first?" This elicited silence at first and Sensei Wu methodically swept his eyes across every person around him, including Lloyd. "It is easier and more beneficial to be trained one-on-one."

Jay piped up immediately, a wide smile on his face. "I want to go first, Sensei!" he called out, trying to reserve his excitement, but failing miserably. "You were saying we had elemental powers and stuff and I want to try and control mine so that-"

"We train together, or it's no deal," Kai interrupted, sticking firmly to his statement. This made Jay shrink into himself a bit, closing his mouth tightly and refraining from speaking anymore. "There's still some things that don't really add up to me. You were expecting us. You say we have special powers. Why won't you tell us how you know all of this stuff?" His brunet spikes seemed to cast dark shadows across his features. "I don't feel like we can fully trust you."

Sensei Wu turned to face Kai, a stern look on his face. "Very well. I can work with that deal and I know more than just these trivial things you ask. I know all about each and every one of you, but since you're so eager to have a talk, Kai, then why don't we start with you?" The old man walked around the blacksmith, studying every bit of him. "You're definitely a fire starter. There's a bright glow in your eyes. Your temper is powerful. You're very stubborn and you don't trust people easily. Under your tough skin you're just a small boy, afraid you won't be able to keep those around you safe. Isn't that right?"

It felt like his veins had flooded with ice as the man before him peeled away at the layers of protection he had been building up since he was young. He always had to stay strong, not just for himself, but for Nya too. There was always that doubt that plagued him. The small grain of uncertainty that had blossomed over the years. What if he was not the protector he thought he was? The past few days had tested him on that same question and was still unsure on the exact answer. "Yes..." he answered breathlessly, feeling very insignificant in front of Sensei Wu now.

Then the elderly man abruptly turned towards Jay, his pale blue eyes smiling. "You have a bright spark within you. Your spirits are high and unwavering, pushing through dark times and situations. Underneath your generally happy appearance, you are still unsure of yourself, masking your small insecurities behind laughter. I sense you are more of a fleer than a fighter, correct?"

Jay looked down, a light blush spreading across his cheeks. He played with the fabric of his shirt, needing something to do with his hands. The man's words were true. Too true in fact. People thought he was brave, going around Ninjago, spreading the legend of the Golden Master, but he was not. He was a coward. He never stayed in one place. Never actually tried to fight against the Serpentine. He just ran from village to village, staying in the shadows, looking away every time someone called for help, and pretending not to hear them. He had even left his parents behind when the Serpentine came to their village.

"You're right, Sensei...I'm weak. I can't do anything. That's part of the reason I'm here." Jay finally looked up, his voice shaking.

A knowing smile crept up upon Sensei Wu's aged face as he moved from Jay to Cole. The raven-haired man held his gaze steady, the eye contact intense. "Let's look at you then, Cole," the elderly man said lightly, giving the merchant a small tap on the shoulder with his bamboo staff. "Tough as rock, solid like the earth you stand on, with a natural ability to lead. Rarely do you stray from your chosen path and your sense of commitment is obvious. Like a lump of coal in the ground, you work best under pressure. However, like the loose dirt beneath your feet, you can crumble without proper support."

Inhaling very subtly, the merchant just gave a nod. He had never really felt supported by anyone other than himself and leading a life like that was often difficult and trying. Cole knew that he needed help from others, but he was often too proud or even scared to admit it. If you could do something by yourself, you would become a better person, right? He needed to learn how to rely on others for help and support. Only then could he be truly great. "You're right," he concluded monotonously, refusing to let any emotion betray him at the moment.

He then faced Zane, clearing his throat before continuing. "Zane, you're by far the most intelligent of this group. Your training has given you the ability to solve any problem that comes before you. Resilient, yet transparent, like ice. Having friends is a new concept to you and it becomes hard to see where your loyalties really lie, but in the end, I believe your heart will guide you down the right path."

Zane nodded, his face void of any expression. "I have many flaws, but I believe that staying around those who have helped me will make me stronger. I am ready to learn everything you have to teach me, sir."

"Finally, we have Lloyd," Sensei Wu bellowed, clasping his hands around the top of his staff and firmly planting the other end on the ground. The boy seemed rather taken aback by suddenly being addressed. His green eyes darted back and forth quickly, almost as if he were searching for another person in the room that was named Lloyd instead. "You have been with me for a week now, training and slowly gathering the strength that enslavement had robbed you of. Now it is time you should know that there are greater things in store for you."

Lloyd fidgeted with the green belt that wrapped around his waist, feeling a warm heat spread over his face. He could feel that everyone's eyes were on him now, something that was rather uncomfortable for someone who had lived their whole life being ignored. Sensei remained quiet, speaking only when Lloyd looked up to meet his gaze.

"You, my dear boy, hold the most potential here," Wu said, causing Lloyd to blush even harder. "In your hands is the key to saving this land. You have the power to change everything, as destiny has chosen _you_ to be Ninjago's greatest hero. You are the Golden Master after all."

A short gasp escaped Jay's mouth while Cole stumbled forward, his eyes wide. Lloyd tried to shrink back into himself as the old man's words began to make sense. The Golden Master. The one destined to rid Ninjago of darkness. It could not really be him, could it? He was just _Lloyd_. He had always been a nobody. He had always been replaceable. He had always been nothing. Now, Sensei Wu's words had suddenly chained him down with the responsibility of saving everyone's life.

Lloyd hugged his stomach tightly. He was going to be sick.


	11. A Threat on the Horizon

Chapter 11 - A threat on the horizon

It felt like his whole entire world was caving in around him.

All Kai ever wanted to do was make a difference in the world, to be someone that people looked upon in absolute awe and wonder. He wanted to be a hero, wanted to be _the_ hero. It had taken such a long time for him to finally do something about the predicament that not only he was in, but the rest of the world as well. A task that could only be undertaken by the Golden Master. Now, all of his hopes and desires were crushed into dust, blowing away in a stale wind. "H-Him?" the blacksmith found himself saying, his muscles quivering from the pure shock of the information. "The _kid_ is the Golden Master?"

_He's just a child. A former slave no less_, he screamed in his head, trying to calm himself down. It was not working. The skin on his hands was warm and he crossed his arms over his chest in attempt to hide this from everyone else. He did not want them to see him acting like a child. _You're just a small boy, afraid you won't be able to keep those around you safe_, echoed Sensei's words in his mind. Without even dwelling on what the others would think about him now, Kai stormed away from the group and down a nearby hallway. He needed to get away again. To try and cool off before he was confronted.

After many twists and turns, Kai found the hall where he and the others had first arrived. Without hesitating, he pushed the large heavy doors open and ran out towards the beach. He didn't want to go back. What was the point? To listen to an old man's crazy words and to follow a _child_ into battle against the Serpentine? It would be suicide. And he wouldn't be part of it.

By the time Kai reached the ship, he had slowed down to a pitiful, almost reluctant, walk. What would he do if he went back? There was nothing but imprisonment waiting for him there. And he wouldn't be able to save anyone if he was behind bars. He stopped, kicking the sand in front of him. Kai growled at the air, the rage inside his body creating a small aura of heat around him.

Nothing was fair. He had risked his life to get here. He had put his sister in danger. And all for what? All his hopes and dreams, everything had always circled around him being Ninjago's greatest hero. But now it was all gone. He was a nobody again.

Kai let himself fall against the sand, sighing in defeat. He knew he was acting like a child, but he couldn't care less. He began to mumble under his breath, trying to control the anger inside. "I deserve better than this. I could beat that kid any day..."

"It's not like I asked for this you know," Lloyd's voice came from behind him, sparking up Kai's rage all over again.

Inhaling deeply, Kai got to his feet and spun around. "You..." he started, letting the words hang in the air, mingling with the light, salty breeze that played off of the sea. "Why are you out here? I don't know if you noticed, but I _left_. That means I don't wanna be bothered right now." His light brown eyes blazed with a mixture of loathing and sadness. "Especially by you, Golden Master." When the phrase rolled off of his tongue, he felt yet another wave of frustration overwhelm him.

"I wasn't following you," Lloyd shook his head, running his shaking hands through his messy blonde hair. "I just needed to get out. I saw you here muttering to yourself and...look, I'm not too happy about me being the Golden Master either. Do you know how much responsibility that is? Everyone's life depends on me now. I don't want this. I just...wanted to be happy and safe and now...now _this_. I bet the others hate me too. I bet they're thinking, 'why him? Why the pathetic little kid? I could do better'. And they'd be right. I _am_ a kid. I don't want this."

Lloyd paced back and forth as he talked, feeling his eyes stinging with tears. He felt small and helpless, and everyone around him was suddenly jealous and angry because destiny had chosen him as a hero. Lloyd looked back at Kai, opening and closing his mouth, trying to keep shouting about how unfair everything was. But words didn't come. He bit his lower lip, feeling the fear of what was to come overwhelm his body. He was just a slave again. A young kid chained down by destiny's cruel hands.

Hearing the tone of Lloyd's voice slowly chipped away the bubble of selfishness that had surrounded Kai. Lloyd sounded depressed and scared, two words that the blacksmith would have never placed with the Golden Master. Watching the young boy's face contort into a mask of anxiety was nerve wracking. "Y-You could be fine," Kai suddenly said, feeling his expression begin to soften. Who was he to be jealous of the kid? Lloyd seemed absolutely miserable about being who he was.

"Not alone I can't," Lloyd pointed out, looking down at Kai's eyes, pleading for his help. "I _do_ want to help people. But I'm not strong. Not yet at least. I know we don't exactly know each other but...we've got to stick together right?"

Lloyd's last words sounded almost like a whimper. He clenched his fists, waiting for Kai's answer. Lloyd really didn't know this man, or the other three that had come along with him. But something had brought them together. And for the first time in his short life, Lloyd finally had the chance to build a bond of friendship with someone other than his reflection. The opportunity was too precious to let go.

The very air around the two newly acquainted individuals seemed to still as Kai unintentionally held his breath. Lloyd was begging for support, both with his voice and his facial expressions. Now was the opportunity to show someone, to show the boy in front of him, that he could be the hero he always wanted to be. Of course, this was not the way Kai had imagined it, but sometimes perceptions were much different from twisted reality. He could still be a hero, by showing the former slave that there would be others that would help him through this journey. Sure, Sensei Wu had inadvertently crushed his personal dreams right before his very eyes, but doors always closed for a reason. Destiny had specific plans for all of them. Kai finally sucked in a deep breath. Destiny may not have chosen him to be the Golden Master, but he was still a vital part to the solution for oppression, otherwise Sensei Wu would not have been expecting him to come to the Temple of Light.

"Yeah," the brunet answered, training his light brown eyes on Lloyd. "We've got to stick together."

Lloyd smiled, his body instantly relaxing. "I know that if we-"

The small boy froze, his eyes glued to the horizon. Three dark shapes were approaching the island at an impossible speed. Soon, they were close enough to be recognized. Lloyd stepped back, his heartbeat quickening. He'd recognize Pythor's warships anywhere. Lloyd shook his head. They couldn't have found them. Not now. Not so soon.

Lloyd knew that each of the ships would hold up to a hundred Serpentine warriors. Lloyd also knew that he knew absolutely nothing about self-defense. Sure, Sensei Wu had worked on his reflexes, but he had never given Lloyd a chance to use his skills in an actual fight. For the second time that day, Lloyd had the urge to vomit.

"What's up?" Kai asked, genuinely concerned about the sudden change in Lloyd's posture. He seemed extremely tense, his limbs appearing stiff as he shakily took a single step backwards. It looked like the young, blonde boy had just seen a ghost. "Look, I said I'm going to help you and I know that the people I've been traveling with would be more than willing to make the same agreement. There's no need to worry about it right now." Despite this, Kai could still see that Lloyd was transfixed on something else, his face growing paler by the second. Becoming more frustrated, the blacksmith shifted his weight onto his right foot and pivoted his body around with the left. When his own gaze locked with the scene before him, he felt his heart skip a beat.

The first time he had ever been to the sea had been a week ago, when Zane had successfully sneaked them all onto the shipping vessel. However, Kai knew that the ships advancing toward them were not friendly. Just the sight of them shot a dagger of malice straight through the blacksmith's gut and he felt as if he were going to stagger backwards into Lloyd. Instantly, he rolled his right shoulder before unsheathing his sword from its holster. "I'm thinking those boats aren't full of nice people," he found himself saying idiotically. "I-I don't know if I want to stick around to see them make it to the shore." He could not handle something like this right now. Still hungry and slightly fatigued from the trip to the island, Kai stepped back slowly until he was even with the Golden Master. "What are we supposed to do?"

Lloyd shook his head, he'd been about to ask Kai the same question. "We get the others?"

The blacksmith nodded, heading back into the temple seemed far more promising than staying out on the beach to wait for the ships to arrive. Lloyd and Kai ran inside, their footsteps alerting the others of their presence. Jay stepped out of one of the rooms, his hair standing up on end, and a fascinated smirk on his childish face.

"We're over here guys. You won't believe what I just-" Jay's words froze in his throat as he recognized the expression in the blacksmith's face. Fear. Jay felt as if a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped upon his body. If Kai, who was always glowing with bravery and confidence, looked as shaken as he did, Jay wasn't sure he wanted to know what had occurred. "Is something...wrong?"

His voice wavered as he tried to answer the puppeteer's question. "Ships are coming here, to the island. I don't know what they are, but I don't think it's a good sign at all." This temple was supposed to be one of isolation. That was what Zane had told them. It was what Kai remembered from the stories as well. Glancing down, the blacksmith noticed that the grip he had on his sword was intense, his knuckles practically alabaster against the toughened leather of the hilt. "We have to do something though. I-I don't know how much time we'll have before the ships get here." This was insane. They had _just_ arrived and suddenly ominous ships were materializing on the horizon? Perhaps destiny was more spiteful than he ever could have imagined.

"It's the Serpentine," Lloyd chimed in, feeling his body shake slightly from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. This immediately caught the attention of the two people surrounding him. He watched the auburn haired man swallow hard and glance around the room nervously. "I've seen these ships before and they can carry a lot of warriors. We won't be able to fight them all off."

"Serpentine?" Sensei Wu stepped out into the hall, followed by Zane and Cole. The old man's face was lit up by a mischievous smile. "Oh, I think they will be perfect training for you all."

"_Training!_?" Cole, Jay, and Kai hissed, their eyes growing wide with disbelief.


	12. Elemental Strength

Chapter Twelve: Elemental Strength

Zane could feel the tension in the room growing thicker as the seconds ticked by. Whether his hunch was correct or not, the android felt as if this sudden development was his fault. The serpent from the Traveler's Port had seemed very suspicious of him. Maybe he had voiced his concerns to others and the message had been divulged to Emperor Pythor himself.

He was considering going to talk with the Serpentine, to try and find a way out of this mess. There had to be a way to keep his newly found friends safe from his master's clutches while also protecting himself from any punishment. Sensei Wu was right, he _was_ having difficulty determining exactly where his loyalties lie._ You are vital to this group_, proclaimed a voice in the back of his mind. _Betrayal is a dangerous game to play. You have already done it once to the Serpentine. Are you truly willing to do it again with these people?_

"Training, Sensei?" the android questioned slowly, seeing the combination of anger and fear clear on his companions' faces. "Is it wise to have us throw ourselves into the fray so soon?" Sensei Wu had just finished explaining not too long ago that, out of everyone, he was the only one that stood a fighting chance against the Serpentine in a battle. There was an overwhelming sense of obligation that surrounded him now. He needed to protect the same people who had protected him. Zane's eyes briefly drifted over to Lloyd, the boy clad in green. If he truly was the Golden Master, then he needed to be protected most of all.

"Training indeed. When one is in a real battle, they tend to work a little harder than if they were to simply train with dummies filled with hay." Sensei looked around the room, his eyes lingering on each of his students, making sure that the seriousness of the situation was truly implanted upon them. "This is your first test. I have already said that you all have wonderful abilities flowing through your bodies. If you want to have any chance of surviving, you must unlock them and soon."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Jay waved his hands in the air, his voice rising to a higher pitch than normal. "Not too long ago you said we'd all die if we faced the Serpentine, except for the bot over there. Now you're telling us to _face_ the Serpentine? I thought you were gonna help us survive!"

"It does seem kind of stupid to send us on a suicide mission..." Cole said, studying the old man. "But, at the same time, I would really love to unlock these 'abilities' you speak of."

The blacksmith felt a cocky smirk form as he crossed his arms over his chest. Even though he was apprehensive of the enemies approaching, he completely agreed with Cole. If they were supposed to have elemental powers, he wanted to try and use them as soon as possible. His conscious mind flashed back to when he had burned the merchant back at the edge of the forest or when he had just ran out onto the beach and felt his skin heating up in conjunction with his temper. Maybe if they could learn how to get a good handle on their powers quickly, they would all stand a good chance against the Serpentine.

A renewed feeling of confidence budded within Kai. "If you can teach us how to use our special abilities, I'm sure we can take down the Serpentine," the brunet grinned, receiving a frightful glance from Jay in the process. "Just tell us what to do...Sensei."

"I'm glad to find this new attitude in you, Kai," Sensei stated, walking towards the temple's doors and pushing them open. The Serpentine ships had now docked on the beach and the soldiers were slowly pouring out onto the sand. "Zane, I think you should try first. Now remember, if you fail, every one of your new friends will take a step closer to death. So _focus_."

Zane nodded, walking forward in order to stand beside Sensei Wu. "I understand. Tell me what I must do."

"First, close your eyes." Zane obeyed without hesitation. "Now, I want you to think about the time you spent with the Serpentine."

Zane thought. They had always used him as no more than a weapon. He might have been powerful, but Zane had always been treated like the lowest of the low. Emperor Pythor had never cared enough to treat him as some sort of equal.

"And now, think about the short time you've spent with your new friends."

Jay standing up for him. Protecting him. The others listening to his advice. Being treated as some_one_ instead of some_thing_. The memories were brief, but they were powerful.

"Now tell me, Zane, who _are_ you?"

"I am me. I am Zane," the robot's voice shook. "I am not a weapon. I am a shield. I will protect all of those who deserve it."

Zane heard a small gasp from Jay's mouth. Amazed murmurs from the young Golden Master.

"Now, open your eyes."

He obeyed. Before him stood a thick wall of ice. It cloaked the whole temple, creating a thick barrier that separated them from the Serpentine. It was impossible. It was illogical. Yet, it was _real_. "I...I created this?"

"Indeed," the elderly man replied with a kind smile, his light blue eyes resting upon the wavering forms of the Serpentine through the ice as they marched closer. "You have resilient inner strength and this is only a mere representation of that. Of course, this barrier is just one of many things you can create or use with your elemental abilities. With practice and focus, you will master endless possibilities." Turning on his heel to face his other students, Sensei Wu stroked his cascading beard. "This does not just apply to Zane. Power like this exists within each and every one of you."

It was absolutely amazing! Jay was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, feeling the familiar sensation of adrenaline pounding in his veins. Zane was so cool...no pun intended. He knew he had not been crazy when he had decided to save the android from the vines back in the forest. "Me next, me next, Sensei!" the puppeteer chirped, grinning. "What can I do? Can I make stuff like that too?"

Kai scoffed lightly at Jay's utter excitement. He recalled the man immobilizing and somehow fixing Zane back in the forest, the small sparks that had leapt off of his hands in the process. "The most you could probably do is just shock someone, make their hair stand on end," the blacksmith said.

"Then he'd never have to shock you," Cole mused, glancing over at the blacksmith and his intricately spiked hair style. "Your hair stands on end without Jay's help."

"Oh haha, I forgot how to laugh..." Kai growled, rolling his eyes.

The Serpentine began to pound on the ice, aiming to break through. The barrier was thick enough to hold them back, but it wouldn't last for long. The island's heat had already begun to melt away the ice and, with each second, the Serpentine got closer to their target.

Ignoring the commotion, Sensei Wu turned towards Jay. "Yes. You have the ability to do amazing things, just like Zane has been kind enough to demonstrate."

"Show me, show me!" Jay shrieked childishly. "Should I close my eyes too?"

"Yes, please."

Still bouncing, Jay closed his eyes. He bit his lip, trying to hold back a nervous chuckle that had formed in the back of his throat. "I'm ready."

"Tell me, Jay, do you like yourself?"

"I..." Slowly, the puppeteer stopped moving. He realized how utterly ridiculous he must have looked, acting like a four year old in a candy store. "Not really."

"Why is that?"

"We already went through this, Sensei. Do I have-"

_"Why is that?"_

"I'm obnoxious. I talk too much. I'm afraid of everything. I act like a kid most of the time. I know it annoys people. It annoys me too. There are always random bursts of energy that spasm through my body. They make me want to run around, act like an idiot, or chatter endlessly about something stupid. I hate it. I have to..." Jay cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a bit weak. "I have to push it away."

"Why?"

Jay sighed. "Because I have to grow up, try to be normal..."

"You don't have to be normal, Jay. The innocent energy that flows within you is what makes you _you_. There is no other Jay. Why attempt to be average when you can show the world how special you truly are?"

"Because..." Jay frowned. Why? What did it matter to him what other people thought? What did it matter if everyone thought he was annoying and immature? It was who he was. He didn't have to change any of that. Not for anyone. He always felt happy when he allowed the energy inside him to escape, so why hold it back?

Jay opened his eyes, too impatient to wait for Sensei's order. "I don't have to be average! It's okay to be me!"

The Serpentine burst through the ice, waving sharp swords that glinted dangerously in the sun. The puppeteer turned towards them, smirking. There was no fear in him. He raised his arms, aiming them towards the Serpentine. A large wave of electricity shot from them, forcing the snakes to fly backwards. "I am _me _and it's _awesome_!"

This was actually happening. Cole felt his eyes widen as the serpents continued to advance. Jay was handling some of them with his newly found powers, but they were coming in what appeared to be endless droves. Even if Sensei Wu could teach them all about their special abilities, would they still be able to get out of this?

"Full of doubt?" The merchant tore himself away from his thoughts to see the elderly man raising a greying eyebrow. "I see it plain as day, written across your entire face, Cole." Despite this, Cole tried to look around his newly appointed teacher to see how everyone else was fairing against the Serpentine. Jay seemed content enough and Zane was holding his own perfectly, just as Sensei had said he would. The brief flash of light reflecting off of his shurikens was all that the merchant could make out as Zane parried a few attacks. "You must focus," Sensei Wu continued, demanding Cole's full attention.

He nodded in response. "Yeah, I doubt we're actually going to make it out of this mess," the merchant confessed reluctantly. "I'm wondering if I'm actually cut out for this. What if I can't use any powers? I don't want to let everyone down..."

"You must stop entertaining the very idea of disappointment," Sensei Wu stated gravely. "Close your eyes and concentrate." Sighing slightly, Cole obliged Sensei Wu's orders and shut his eyes tightly, the sounds of the fight around him intensifying. "You are stronger than you believe, Cole. Both physically and mentally. Instead of worrying about what _could_ happen, you must take the reins and decide what _will_ happen."

Just hearing this from the wise man, Cole felt a bit lighter. It was an odd sensation, like strings that had been tying him down had suddenly been cut. He _had_ always been focused on disappointing others too much, especially his father. If he was going to worry about silly things like that now, he was never going to go anywhere in life. Cole had friends now, friends that were going to support him. He could rely on them. He had to believe that they would make it out of this.

Opening his eyes, the merchant saw that Sensei Wu was no longer in front of him, but a few serpents were. They were poised, ready to strike without mercy, and Cole instinctively stomped his right foot against the tiled floor of the temple. The ground quivered underneath of him and a wide crack snaked its way out from where his limb had made impact with the ground, exploding into fragments that sent the Serpentine cowering backwards. "Whoa..." the raven-haired man mouthed.

"Join the party, Cole!" Jay chuckled, shocking a few more snakes. "Isn't this great?"

Cole nodded, smiling. "Y-Yeah! It's...pretty fun."

Kai looked at the beach, watching as more Serpentine climbed out of the ships and onto the sand. He looked at his companions, who were each now battling the snakes with their respective elemental powers. Kai then turned towards Sensei Wu, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Are you going to show me how to unlock my abilities now? They'll need my help if we're every going to make it out of this."

"Impatience can turn into recklessness," Sensei Wu chided, lightly tapping the blacksmith with his wooden staff. "Recklessness can lead to mistakes and mistakes can be fatal." He watched as Kai's face fell slightly at this statement. "As I said earlier, you have a bright flame that burns within you, Kai. It is very powerful and motivating, but you have to learn how to harness it properly. Like a true fire, your powers could possibly be destructive if not used correctly. It is important that you of all people calm your mind and keep yourself in check."

Keep himself in check and calm his mind? There was fighting going on all around him! Kai opened his mouth to try and argue with the old man, but a harsh glance kept him silent. Without even being instructed to do so, the blacksmith was already closing his eyes, focusing solely on the breath entering and leaving his lungs. _Keep calm. Keep focused._ The clanging of weapons and garbled shouts from the Serpentine faded into obscurity as Kai just thought about the power that existed inside of him. He was gifted with this, just like the others around him. Chosen especially for this. A hero. With one final breath, Kai's eyes snapped open and he felt as if he had a new sense of clarity. It was easy to be impulsive and let the fire control him, but truly controlling the fire made it more powerful.

There was a small whimper from behind him and the brunet gazed back to see Lloyd being approached by two sword wielding serpents. Without wasting a single second, Kai jumped towards them, wedging himself in between the Golden Master and the enemies. "You'll touch him over my dead body," he stated forcefully, crossing his arms out in front of him before sweeping them out to the sides. Flames erupted from out of nowhere and the Serpentine skittered backwards, their eyes wide as they watched the metal of their blades glow a warm orange. "You okay, kid? Kai asked tentatively, a small smile spreading across his face. That had been much cooler than he thought it would be.

"Yeah," Lloyd nodded, trying to calm his heartbeat. "I'm fine, but...there's so many of them."

Kai turned to look, trotting over to where his companions were fighting. Lloyd was right. There were too many Serpentine. For every one that fell, three more seemed to take their place. Their elemental powers definitely gave them a fighting chance, but Kai wasn't liking the odds.

Sensei Wu watched his students, smiling with pride. They hadn't even come close to tapping into the full potential of their powers, but it was a start. They had done it far faster than he thought possible, but he could see it wouldn't be enough. It was time for him to step in.

"Zane, Cole, Jay, Kai!" he shouted, his voice ringing louder than the sounds of battle. "Retreat to your ship. Take Lloyd with you. Protect him. Nurture his strength. I will deal with the Serpentine."

Lloyd felt a lump grow in his throat. There was no way the old man would be able to take all the Serpentine at once. They would destroy him and Lloyd would lose one of the few people that had been kind to him. He was the Golden Master, was he not? Then why couldn't he fight like the others? Why was he still not strong enough to protect those around him? He ran towards Sensei Wu, childishly pulling on his arm. "What are you planning to do? We can't leave you. Teach _me_ how to fight! We can stop them!"

He saw the pain that flashed in his nephew's brilliant, green eyes. Earlier, after conversing with the spirit of his brother, Sensei Wu had been considering divulging to Lloyd that they were, in fact, family. Now he would not get the chance. It would influence Lloyd's choice in a negative way. Of course, there really was no choice that had to be made. Lloyd was the Golden Master and he _had_ to leave the island now while there was still a chance to. "It's not that simple," the elderly man said in a firm tone, ripping his arm from the boy's grip. "You are the most powerful of them all. It would take you more than just a few minutes of concentration to truly tap into the abilities that lie within you. The others have but a mere grasp of what they can truly accomplish, but they will teach you."

No. It just didn't make any sense. Sensei Wu was the wise man that lived in the Temple of Light. He was the teacher. "Please," Lloyd begged, unable to leave the elderly man's side. "Try to teach me _something_. I-I can get it. I'll learn really quickly. I can help you..."

"The many are greater than the few," Sensei Wu stated, his expression stern. "Sometimes sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. You must leave now! You have a destiny to fulfill. I can buy you enough time to start heading back to the mainland."

Lloyd was going to interject, but strong arms grabbed him from behind. The former slave gasped as Cole threw him over his shoulder and started sprinting towards the front doors, pushing past hissing serpents, with the others following close behind. "No," the Golden Master shouted, pounding his fists against the merchant's back as the man that had been so kind to him grew smaller, being swallowed up by a circle of warriors. "Take me back," Lloyd argued, feeling the uncomfortable sensation of fresh tears welling up in his eyes. "I can try to help him!"

"No can do," Cole replied, his breathing labored. "He told us to get out of here and that's exactly what we're gonna do."


	13. A Rough Plan

Chapter 13- A Rough Plan

Lloyd stopped struggling as soon as the ship drifted away from the island. Cole released him, and Lloyd fell to his knees, eyes shut tightly. For a moment, he'd had a home. Somewhere to belong. Someone that _cared_. But now it was gone. He stood slowly, walking to the edge of the ship. The temple was in flames now. There was no doubt that Sensei Wu was gone.

"Great," Kai sighed, trying to keep his anger under control. "This is just great. I...I hate the Serpentine. I can't wait to just-"

Kai shot a burst of flames skyward, releasing the tension that had been tightening his muscles.

"We'll be fine," Cole said, his eyes focused on Lloyd, making sure the young boy wouldn't do anything crazy. "We just need a plan. Sensei was able to unlock our abilities. We're powerful now. We can do anything. We can't let doubt and fear control us..."

"Yes, we're strong. But they're still stronger. There's like...billions of them. And we're four. I mean the odds of us staying alive are ...some kind of small number I don't even want to think about." Jay created a small spark, his slender fingers playing around with his newfound powers. "I feel pretty awesome now that we've got these powers but I'm gonna admit it. I'm still pretty terrified of messing around with Pythor."

Zane kept his hands steady on the wheel as he continued to steer them all away from the Temple of Light, feeling a sense of dread overwhelm him. "We must continue to keep our wits about us, even with our newly found abilities," he stated, keeping his gaze on the horizon. "Jay is correct though, the Serpentine will be formidable foes indeed."

"We have you though," the brunet interjected, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know how they work, Zane. You know their weaknesses and their strengths. With you on our side, our elemental powers, and the kid, we'll be absolutely unstoppable!" His spirits were soaring extremely high despite the loss they had all befallen.

With a solemn shake of his head, the android disagreed. "Once again, I say they will be a very tough enemy to fight."

"But we have to do it," Lloyd turned away from the temple, his bright green eyes looking at the faces of his new companions. "I don't want to go back to being a slave, not knowing where I'll sleep or whether or not there will be food for me that day. And I don't want other people to have to go through that. We've been chosen...and we have to see this through to the end. I don't know what will happen. I don't know what sacrifices we're gonna have to deal with. But let's just remember that everything will be worth it."

"Hear hear!" Cole smiled, placing his arm around Lloyd. "We just have to stay positive."

"Look, this is nice and all, but we need a plan. We can't just wander back into Ninjago hoping that faith and trust will keep us away from harm." Kai pointed out. "Where will we hide? Where will we get provisions from? And most of all _how_ are we going to bring down a whole kingdom of corruption?"

Jay drummed his fingers against the railing of the ship, watching small sparks flash and quickly dissipate in the wind that refused to be caught in the sails. The blacksmith's words had destroyed the bit of confidence he had been able to form. Now he felt weak and queasy all over again "Kai's right. We have no plan and we're probably just gonna be followed by the Serpentine that attacked the island." It was difficult for Jay to see exactly how Lloyd and Cole were able to keep such a positive attitude in the light of everything that was happening. If he had to sacrifice himself for the greater good of Ninjago, would he be able to do it? Shaking the thought from his head, the puppeteer decided that everything would fall into place eventually. They would figure something out, they always did. Maybe he just needed a distraction.

"So...you were a slave, huh?" Jay said suddenly, leaning his back against the polished, wooden railing of the ship and spreading his arms out. "How did that happen, Lloyd? How does the Golden Master end up as a slave?" Yes, they all needed a distraction, and a time to get to know each other a little better. Especially the blonde boy they were now responsible for.

"Well...I was always a slave I guess," Lloyd shrugged. "I don't remember much about anything else. I've always had a master and I've always had to follow orders. There's really nothing interesting about me. Except..."

The Golden Master paused, reaching into his small satchel to pull out the book that was so precious to him. "I've always had this with me. I think it's the last real book in Ninjago. It talks about the Serpentine I think. Can't really be sure though, I wasn't exactly taught how to read."

"Whoa...would you look at that," Cole said, his eyes widening at the sight of the golden book, the binding reflecting some of the sun's rays. "You've always had that with you? It looks...so old and important."

Nodding, Lloyd clutched the book a little tighter in his grasp. "Yeah, I can't remember a time when I didn't have it. Almost like I can't remember a time when..." He trailed off, thinking about the ghostly figure that always followed him no matter where he ended up moving to. Across the entire land of Ninjago, the emperor had always trailed behind, being a voice of both reason and comfort. "Never mind," the Golden Master finished, choosing to withhold the information for now. If he was supposed to be a great hero and even a leader, then he had to be sane to do it.

"Hey, Zane," Kai called out, hurrying over towards Lloyd and reaching out to grab the book from the boy's hands. Withdrawing from Kai's grasp automatically, Lloyd nervously eyed the man before him. "Sorry," the blacksmith apologized, realizing he had been too hasty. "It's just...Zane use to work really closely with Pythor and he knows a lot more about stuff like this than we do. Cole had a map that led us to the Temple of Light, but we would have never known it was a map if Zane hadn't told us. Maybe he knows about this book. Would you show it to him?"

Lloyd held the book closer against his chest, childishly holding on. It was hard for him to part from the book even for a minute. It meant a lot to him. It was the only thing that had always been there. Well that, and the emperor's ghost.

He turned to Zane, who seemed to be studying him. It was a bit unnerving. Sighing softly, he held the book out to the pale man, his arms still shaking with reluctance. "Here...just...be careful alright?"

Zane took the book, gently flipping through its pages. His eyes moved left and right rapidly, a small smirk forming on his face. "I do think the Golden Master has saved us. This book contains the Serpentine's every weakness."

"No way!" Jay smiled sparks flowing around his arms. "They'll never know what hit 'em! No wonder those ugly guys were trying to destroy every book out there! Good thing our little buddy kept this book safe for so long."

The robot closed the book, clearing his throat in order to regain attention. "It will not be easy. Getting close to the Serpentine leaders will be a challenge in itself...and knowing their weakness doesn't necessarily grant us victory."

"It...doesn't?" Jay, who had been doing a small victory dance, allowed his arms to drop down to his sides. "Oh fiddlesticks, why can't things just be easy?"

"If it was really _that_ easy, then people would have tried to overthrow them all years ago," Kai replied stubbornly. It was amazing to him nonetheless that Lloyd had such a book in his possession. Yet again, destiny was only revealing small portions of a greater plan. A plan that, hopefully, lead them all to a successful victory. Despite knowing that there was a long road ahead for each and every one of them, Kai could not help but feel at ease for the moment. This book was going to aid them in ways they could have never imagined. True and unyielding freedom was slowly coming into reach, something Kai thought he would never live to actually see.

"We should have no problem getting close to the Serpentine leaders now though," the blacksmith continued, solely addressing the latter of Zane's last statement. "We have powers now. Yeah, sure, we'll have to practice with them a little bit, but we can just barrel through all the low ranking snakes now and head straight to the top dogs."

Cole shook his head gravely. "Hold up there, hothead. Just charging into the different kingdoms can be really messy. We might be specially chosen by the Creator, but that doesn't mean we're invincible." The merchant shifted his satchel from one shoulder to the other, gripping the leather strap apprehensively. "We have elemental abilities. Sure, that's a plus. We have this book that can tell us the best way to defeat each leader. That's a good asset too, but it doesn't mean we will always win. It doesn't mean we won't face tribulations or hardships along the way."

"Being a hero is never easy," the android chimed in, handing the lusciously bound book back to the green clad boy. Lloyd graciously accepted the book and quickly stuffed it back into his own satchel, obscuring it from sight. "There is a multitude of ways that our continued rebellion will end in crushing defeat." He had been consciously running the numbers and odds in their favor. Zane never really liked the results. "We must keep our wits about us and stay focused on each task we undertake. A small slip up could mean our demise and I am positive that none of you would want that."

"Yeah, no, demise is not something I'd want on my plate," Jay agreed nodding vigorously. "But seriously, Zane, spill the beans! How do we kick the Serpentine's butts?"

"We are nearing the kingdom of the Fangpyre once again, so I suggest we start off there," Zane said, already forming a small plan in his mind." They can turn whoever and whatever they please into one of their own. The weakness of these treacherous Serpentine is their fangs. Without them, they are useless in battle, and can easily be overcome."

"Now, out of all of us, I will have to admit that Cole has the greatest strength. Physically at least," the robot continued. "We will need to sneak inside the castle, only using our powers when it is absolutely necessary. It would be much better if they only knew we were there when it is too late. Once inside, Jay, Kai, and I will wait outside the courtroom, getting rid of any guards that might try to stop us. Cole, you will go into the throne room, get rid of the Fangpyre leader by punching out his precious fangs, then take his staff. It's not much of a plan, but it is a rough idea of what we must do."

"Take the staff?" Jay questioned.

"What about me?" Lloyd protested.

Zane turned to Jay. "If we take the staff, the other Serpentine will respect us. By defeating their leader, they are bound to obey our orders. And Lloyd, you will remain behind and wait for us in the ship. We can't risk to lose you."

"No way!" Lloyd shrieked, stomping his foot. "I'm the Golden Master! You _have_ to take me!"

"You heard the robot, kid. Stay put and you'll stay safe," Kai agreed wholeheartedly.

He inhaled sharply, feeling very immature. "First Sensei Wu shows you guys how to harness the elemental abilities inside of you and then he doesn't even get a chance to teach me _anything_. Now you're just gonna leave me behind while you try and take out the Serpentine leaders? I can help too!" Lloyd felt his face flushing with anger as he tried to argue his case to the people that surrounded him. None of them seemed to be budging on Zane's verdict.

"If we fall in combat, you will need to be the one to pick up the pieces and continue on," the android explained, continuing to split his focus between steering the seafaring vessel and his companions. "As I stated previously, victory is not guaranteed for us. If you came along and ended up injured, or possibly dead, what would we do then? There would be absolutely _no_ chance of victory." A solemn hush fell upon the ship as the salty sea breeze continued to pound against the alabaster sails. "You are the central cog of this machine, Lloyd. Sensei Wu told us to nurture and protect you. I am certainly not willing to break a promise like that. Are you willing to jeopardize the future of this land just so you can roughhouse with a few serpents?"

"Whatever!" Lloyd growled. "You guys are idiots anyway."

The Golden Master sulkily marched into the lower deck slamming the door close behind him.

"Well...being a babysitter is going to be harder than we thought," Jay said, looking at the place Lloyd had stood. "He's got a bit of an attitude doesn't he?"

"Ugh, yes he does." Kai massaged his forehead, trying to cool down his irritation. "I know he's going through a lot right now, but honestly, so are we. He could try to act a little better."

Cole shrugged. "He's just a kid Kai."

"He must mature fast if he is going to be the one to save Ninjago," Zane stated, frowning at the horizon. "On another note...he seems strangely familiar to me. It is as if I have seen his face before...somewhere."

Cole raised a bushy brow in confusion. He knew _he'd_ never laid eyes on Lloyd before. In fact, he had been positive that none of them had ever seen each other until their paths had crossed in this whirlwind of unforeseen events. So how could Lloyd look familiar to Zane? _The guy worked for the Serpentine, genius_, he thought begrudgingly. _He's traveled all over the country. Probably saw Lloyd once in passing or something. He's a robot, he's gotta have the best photographic memory anyone could ever have_. Setting that aside for now, the merchant moved on to the one thing that was truly bugging him.

"So, back to this plan you're trying to construct, Zane. You want me to _punch_ the Fangpyre leader in the mouth and...break his fangs? I mean, I guess I'm strong, but I don't think I'm _that_ strong." A cloud of doubt settled over the raven-haired man's mind and he shifted anxiously on his feet. "That's dangerous, isn't it? Punching a fang? Wouldn't it just pierce my skin and turn me into a...serpent too?" That was the absolute last thing Cole wanted to happen. Becoming a Serpentine was not on his list of things to accomplish before he died.

"If you thought about it hard enough, maybe you could just make your hand turn into a rock or something," Kai snickered, rolling his eyes lightly. He had to admit that Cole got the lamest abilities out of all of them. Using earth to fight? Definitely not as cool as fire, that much was certain.

Cole turned to Kai, unamused by the blacksmith's tone. Still, the guy might actually be onto something. Even if he had meant it as a joke. "Great idea Kai, let's see how well it works."

Focusing to redirect his energy towards his left hand, Cole created a thick armor of stone around his skin. Before Kai could react, Cole swung a punch at his chest. Not as hard as his strength would have allowed him, of course, but hard enough to wipe the smile away from the cocky blacksmith.

Kai involuntarily fell to a knee as the precious air that had been resting peacefully in his lungs was forced out. Glancing upwards to see Cole standing over him was almost painful. The merchant extended the hand that had previously been enveloped in the strong granite and Kai took it, swiftly returning to his feet. It was obvious that Cole had not even been trying with his punch and, in that case, the blacksmith was positive that when the time came for Cole to bash in some skulls, he would do it with ease. Breaking teeth wouldn't be much of an issue.

"Touche," Kai replied, giving a small cough as he regained his composure. "Looks like you'll be just fine then. So now it all rests on us and our ability to sneak into the castle undetected." It seemed like an impossible feat to be sure. The Serpentine outnumbered all of them greatly and Kai was well aware that stealth was not an area of expertise for him. "We get in, let Cole do his thing, take their staff or whatever, and then move on."

"It's set then!" Jay shouted, throwing his hands up in celebration. "This is going to be great! Everyone in Ninjago will be talking about us!"

"Not sure that's a good thing..." Cole sighed.

* * *

Pythor slithered back and forth through the length of the throne room, muttering to himself.

"I didn't order anyone to go to the Temple of Light. Why would I want supplies delivered there? I was planning to starve the old man!" The Emperor banged his fist against the marble walls of his room. "My soldiers would surely have taken care of the problem. Not even the old man would be able to beat such an army."

"But...the boy. I knew I recognized him. I should have swiped him away right then and there, should have fed him to my precious Devourer. He's behind this, I'm sure of it. He looks _just_ like Ninjago's old emperor," Pythor sighed, slithering towards his throne and crumpling down against it. "Oh I should have been more careful. I should have made sure to wipe away every heir to the empire. Now it's all coming back to haunt me."

Pythor closed his eyes, a queasy feeling forming within his stomach. Maybe his Serpentine had killed all the threats that had suddenly emerged. Maybe they had been defeated. There was no way to know for sure.

All the emperor could do for now, was wait.


	14. Sailing On

Chapter Fourteen: Sailing On

Lloyd paced back and forth inside the ship's room, trying to calm the adrenaline that coursed through him. The first time he'd stood up for himself had been terrifying. He had been sure that the others would do _something_. Smack him, whip his back, maybe even throw him overboard, but nothing occurred. They had actually...listened. The satisfaction that spread throughout him had been extremely pleasant. So when Zane had suggested on leaving him behind...Lloyd had risked it again. He had protested_. _Him! The former slave! He'd talked back to _someone_! The rush of adrenaline was exquisite.

This time his protest went unheard. That awoke something within him, something dark and angry. A small, seductive voice that had begun doing laps around his brain ever since the Sensei had told Lloyd that he was the Golden Master.

_You're Ninjago's hero_, the voice told him. _You can do anything you want now. The world is yours._

At first, Lloyd didn't dare to believe it. He couldn't really do anything he wanted, could he? So far though, he'd gotten away with a lot. His master would have surely punished him for having any kind of attitude, but there was no one to punish him anymore.

"I can do anything I want," Lloyd muttered to himself. "I could sneak out to the castle, beat the Fangpyre myself, and they wouldn't be able to do anything about it. I'm the _Golden Master_. They can't punish me." The former slave chuckled softly, his hands tightening into fists. "They can't punish me..."

* * *

"This is taking forever," Kai complained in a curt manner. Feeling a mixture of exhaustion and anticipation manifesting within him, the blacksmith lay sprawled out on the lower deck of the vessel. His right arm was thrown haphazardly across his face, blocking out the rays of the unforgiving sun. It had been a couple of days since they had formulated their plan of attack and since then the atmosphere had felt tense, even more so than usual. Kai had been trying to find new ways to produce and control the flames he now knew existed inside of him. If he concentrated hard enough, he felt like he could feel them coursing through his blood and attempting to break free.

The environment around the blacksmith cooled dramatically and he sat up quickly to see he was bathed in Cole's shadow, the eclipsed behind the merchant's head. "Being impatient isn't going to help us get there any faster," Cole sighed, his expression one of understanding, oddly enough. It was very difficult on the psyche, taking an extended voyage to a location and then turning around soon afterwards. Not to mention the fact that they were constantly at the mercy of the sea. Cole felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. The sooner they made it back to the mainland, the better.

"I know," Kai answered, getting to his feet and stretching his arms up over his head. The slightly sickening sound of bones popping filled the air. "Can't blame me for wanting to get back to Ninjago as quickly as we possibly can."

"No, I'm with you on that," Cole nodded, clutching the side of the ship tightly. "Believe me, I hate this much more than you do."

"Why, because stone sinks?" Kai smirked.

Cole's skin turned a bit paler than usual. "Please, shut up before I throw you overboard."

"Hey, hey, no fighting you guys," Jay shook his head, approaching Kai and Cole with his usual happy-go-lucky energy. "We're a team now. That means we've gotta love each other and stuff."

"And stuff?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

Jay winked. "Yes, and _stuff_."

"You're disgusting and weird," the merchant shook his head, smacking Jay's forehead lightly. The strange puppeteer might be a weirdo, but he _was _good for a laugh once in a while. Besides, there was a new sense of purpose that connected all of them. He hadn't felt this at home with others in a _very_ long time.

"If this is the start of a confrontation, I will not hesitate to come down there and break it up," Zane hollered from the upper deck. His calm, blue eyes had finally drifted from the horizon to the others, in time to see what appeared to be Cole initiating a fight with Jay. As the android continued to keep a watchful gaze on his companions, he noticed that everything was not as it seemed. In fact, the others looked quite content at the moment.

Jay rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand and chuckled. "Relax, Zane," he shouted back, an impromptu headwind amplifying the sound of his voice. "No one's fighting anyone. It's alright."

"It's pretty funny if you think about that for a second," Kai pointed out, the right corner of his mouth tugging upwards into a half smile. "Zane, the one who was prepared to beat the life out of us back in the forest, is now trying to stop _us_ from potentially fighting with each other." Everything seemed to be coming full circle. It was becoming increasingly difficult for the blacksmith to recall being strangers with each and every one of the people around him just a short time ago. The sound of a door closing broke Kai from his thoughts and he looked over to see Lloyd emerging from the single, interior cabin of the ship. Lloyd had been spending more time on his own than with them. _Probably still steaming over the fact that we won't let him come with us_, Kai thought. "Hey, kid, how are you holding up?"

"Fine," Lloyd shrugged. "Are we almost there?"

"One more day, if my calculations are correct," Zane stated. "I must say though, I am always correct."

"One more day?" Cole groaned, his knees shaking as he slumped against the deck. "I don't think I'm going to make it."

Lloyd stepped closer to the others, his green eyes studying them closely. "I was wondering if...maybe you could try to train me? A day's plenty of time for me to learn a thing or two."

He started shaking his head before he was even consciously aware of it: an automatic response. "I know you really want to get out there and help, but I'm just not sure if we're ready to properly do that yet," Kai frowned, realizing that he was sounding more like an unwavering authority figure than he ever had before in his entire life. It was both odd and kind of refreshing. Maybe he was finally growing up, becoming a bit more mature.

The spark of unbridled disappointment became apparent in Lloyd's expression and the blacksmith hurried to complete his train of thought before the Golden Master could interrupt. "I know what you're going to say, so just hold on for one second. Yeah, sure, we learned pretty quickly back on the island and, yes, we've all been discovering a bit more about our powers with each passing day. That doesn't mean we're experts, Lloyd. I know that I wouldn't be comfortable teaching you what I know until I was fully comfortable with it on my own."

"Well would you look at that," Cole said. "Looks like the hothead might be cooling down a bit. Seems like some improvement to me. He's actually using his brain for once."

Glancing behind himself, Kai narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, make fun of me now. Careful not to fall overboard or something, Cole. I might just act impulsively and push you into the sea when you least expect it."

"D'aw, stop it you two. It's like watching an old, married couple argue," Jay chuckled, pulling both Cole and Kai into an uncomfortable embrace. The puppeteer turned to Lloyd, who still carried a sulky expression. "I have to agree with spiky hair here, Lloyd. I honestly don't really know what I'm doing. I could try to teach you, but I'm afraid we'd just end up sinking the ship or something."

Cole moved away from Jay's arm, wiping some sweat against the fabric of his pants. "Please, let's stop talking about sinking for a second. This is hard enough as it is."

Lloyd ignored Cole's comment, keeping his green eyes set on Kai and Jay. So, having the potential to be the strongest human in all of Ninjago wasn't exactly enough for everyone to follow his desires. The Golden Master' allowed an annoyed sigh to escape his lips. He wasn't fully in control.

_Not yet_, whispered the voice in the back of the boy's head.

"Fine, no training then, but you guys are going to have to start eventually. I mean, are we going to get to Pythor's door with me still untrained? You can't keep putting it off." Lloyd's voice was full of impatience.

"We will begin to train you when we are ready. Rushing things will only make things worse for us." Zane's voice was so commanding, Lloyd instinctively took a step backwards. He could snap back at any of the others knowing that they wouldn't do anything to harm the boy destined to be Ninjago's savior, but Zane had been _Pythor's_ assistant. Lloyd wasn't exactly sure he was comfortable with that.

"Alright," the Golden Master answered, his eyes cast low.

"Yeah, don't sweat it," Jay chimed in, trying to cheer Lloyd up. Seeing the boy look so somber was not sitting right with him. Lloyd had spent a majority, if not the entirety, of his life being a slave; serving others and being more of an object than an actual person. He should deserve to be a little happier now that he knew he was the Golden Master, right? "We'll have you all ready to fight and take down Pythor when the time comes. You just have to count on us."

Kai felt bad for the blonde boy. He saw a lot of himself in the Golden Master, felt like he could kind of guess how Lloyd was feeling. "We're all trying to learn, kid. You'll have the chance to prove yourself and be the hero in the end. Don't worry about that." The blacksmith shot the boy a small smile, but he was not sure if Lloyd saw it or not.

"When we get to the mainland, Zane, how are we going to get to the Fangyre castle?" Cole spontaneously said. It had been weighing on his mind periodically throughout the journey. He was already nervous about having to be the one to take down the Fangpyre leader, so he just wanted a little peace of mind. Having everything else planned and ready was just part of that.

"I have the schedule of the Fangpyre's duties. I will know exactly what places are left unguarded at certain times. It will be my pleasure to guide us all towards our destination. Once there, we can easily sneak inside through the servant's entrance. The Serpentine think really highly of themselves. They do not approach, much less protect, that section of the castle," Zane informed everyone, mapping out the possible routes that they could take. "You shouldn't worry about getting there, Cole. The only part that should be of any importance to you is defeating the Fangpyre leader."

"There's one thing that's bothering me though," Kai muttered, eyebrows forming a small frown. "I know that supposedly the Fangpyre will leave us alone once we defeat their leader, but the others will be after us. Pythor will throw everything he can at us. How are we going to move from place to place?"

"Walking," Jay shouted, a proud smile on his face.

"Really?" Cole shook his head. "If we walked, it would take us _years_ to reach every Serpentine tribe. Not to mention we'd be tired all the time."

"Well _I _walked everywhere I went and it worked just fine." Jay crossed his arms.

"Yeah, but not all of us are fueled by a neverending supply of energy, Mr. Blabbermouth."

Kai shut his eyes tightly, trying to ignore what was happening around him. He thought Nya had been a bit of pest when they were both younger, but it was beginning to dawn on him that having a little sister was not nearly as bad as it was to have brothers his own age. "You know what? Forget I asked," the blacksmith huffed, creating some distance between himself and his squabbling friends. "We'll probably just figure out what to do about it when the time comes, kind of like everything else we do."

"That is not necessary," Zane answered slowly, looking to ease some of the sudden tension. "We will attempt to locate a means of transportation as soon as we reach the shores of Ninjago. If that will calm your nerves before we begin heading to the Fangpyre castle, then it should be more of a priority."

_More of a priority? _the blacksmith internally scoffed. _Taking the land back from the Serpentine should be the biggest priority_. "Don't worry about it, Zane. I'm sure we'll figure something out."

"Is this how it usually goes?" Lloyd looked up at Kai, chuckling slightly as he heard more bits and pieces from Jay and Cole's bickering.

"More or less," Kai answered, looking towards the horizon.

"I like it," Lloyd admitted. "It's way better compared to how things used to be for me."

Feeling an unexplainable warmth spreading through him, the brunet just nodded and placed a reassuring hand on the Golden Master's shoulder. Now, Kai had never been a slave before, but hearing the words Lloyd had spoken reminded him of how fortunate he really had been in life. Yes, both of his parents were gone, but he had always had Nya. Lloyd though...he had had no one. "Yeah, I guess I kind of like it too."


	15. The fangs and the stone

Chapter 15-The Fang and the Stone

The beach looked like heaven to Cole's eyes.

Zane had guided the ship past the Serpentine's port, knowing that everyone would now be searching for them. He allowed the anchor to drop and somehow maneuvered the ship to an awkward stop against the sand. The merchant hopped down, falling back against the warm sand with a smile on his face.

"Let's never get near water again," he mumbled, running his sunburned fingers through the sand. The others slowly climbed out of the ship, each of them with an uncomfortable feeling in their stomach. They were in Ninjago again. The true perils of their mission began _now_.

"I actually felt safer out there," Jay said, a nervous grin on his face. "Now that we're here, ready to actually attack the Serpentine, it's all too real. I think I'm gonna be sick actually. Good thing I haven't eaten that much. Cause it's all seriously getting ready to come up. And not very nicely either. It's going to just-"

Kai slammed the palm of his hand against Jay's mouth, blocking the sound of his voice. "Ok, Jay. I think that's enough out of you."

Jay, who had continued to mumble even under the pressure of Kai's hand, shut off his voice and gave a small nod. Kai removed his hand and the puppeteer ran his thin fingers through his hair. "Well what's the plan then?"

"I will now guide Kai and Cole to the Fangpyre's castle. You will stay behind and care for Lloyd, Jay." After hearing Zane's words, Jay opened his mouth in disbelief. He blinked a couple of times, unable to respond at the unfairness of the robot's statements.

"I agree with Zane," Cole said, slowly sitting up. "You're not exactly the best at sneaking around Jay, plus _someone_ has to take care of Lloyd."

"Honestly, I would feel much better if you stayed," the blacksmith agreed.

"You guys are such jerks." Jay crossed his arms, turning away.

"We might be jerks, but at least we'll be _safe_ jerks," Kai answered abruptly, watching as the puppeteer slightly distanced himself from the group. A small sigh escaped his lips as he felt a small twinge of guilt growing in his stomach. It was not that Jay was useless or a danger in any way, it was just that this mission would go much smoother without his presence. Cole made an excellent point too; there had to be someone to watch Lloyd. If he was caught, or worse, while they were away...

A hand on Kai's shoulder brought him back to reality. Cole gave the blacksmith a hard pat on his back. "Jay, you honestly have the most important job," the merchant smiled, giving Kai some backup. "If the Serpentine come snooping around and find you, you'll have to protect Lloyd. The future of Ninjago is now in your hands."

Jay grinned lightly, his back still turned to his companions. He was going to save the day! Zane was trusting _him_ to watch the savior of Ninjago. It only made sense too. He _was_ the first one to do anything with his powers, back in the forest. Naturally, he was very gifted in his element and capable of protecting Lloyd. "Alright then, guys," the puppeteer replied, lightheartedly stepping towards the boy clad in green. "I'll keep my eye on the kid here while you're all gone. Just remember not to come crying to me when he realize you needed me in the castle." Jay's blue eyes shone with confidence as he gave his friends a small wave.

Zane only nodded in understanding before gesturing for Cole and Kai to follow him. "There will be no crying," the android said. "We are perfectly capable of handling the situation on our own."

The city seemed far bigger now than Cole had remembered. Or maybe it was just the fact that Zane's route to the castle took was made up of more twists and turns than a labyrinth. The merchant was not about to complain, however, as they had always been a safe distance from any of the guards. Without Zane, the mission of saving Ninjago would have been a lot more difficult than it was now.

Although the trip to the castle lasted long enough for Kai to begin feeling small and irritating cramps on his legs, it still felt as if they had arrived far too soon. None of them felt ready to face what lay within the castle's walls. If they went through with this, there would be no turning back. If they went through with this, it was all or nothing.

There was a small, decorative wall made of polished sandstone and the three fugitives stayed low against it, Zane still leading the way. Suddenly, the android held a hand out, forcing Cole and Kai to stop in their tracks. "Please, wait," Zane whispered, his voice barely audible. He knew they were on the outskirts of the looming castle now. The incessant buzzing in the back of Zane's mind was a constant reminder of the hostile creatures that lurked around every corner. Any moment now, they would have a clear opening to quickly make their way towards the western side of the castle, where the servant's entrance was. Slowly counting down the seconds in his mind, the android waved back towards his companions. "We must hurry while the guards continue their rounds," Zane urged, hurrying his gait.

Two lowly guards marched away from the small group, gleaming spears gripped tightly in their scaly hands. Zane effortlessly moved past them, not as much sparing a passing glance. Cole attempted to do the same, but found his gaze drifting towards the serpents. A tightness settled around his heart as he slowed down slightly. A quick shove from behind kept the merchant going. At least Kai was keeping him grounded, so to speak. Tearing his eyes away from the Fangpyre, Cole followed Zane towards some dying shrubbery that flanked the side of the castle . "You said this side is always unguarded, right?" the merchant asked fearfully, hearing his voice shake with the slightest of nerves.

"Yes," Zane said, stopping to take a knee next to the yellowing foliage that dotted the bush. "The Serpentine tend to be very pompous when it comes to security. This where they make their mistakes."

"Well that's good for us then," Kai breathed, glancing behind him to see the space completely empty. Well, at least they had made it to the castle. Now getting inside and actually executing their plan was going to be something else entirely.

As expected, entering through the servant's quarters was the easiest part of the plan. No one attempted to stop them. The few servants that were in the area didn't even bother to look up. They were all too focused on their own tasks, knowing that they would be punished if they didn't execute every one of their actions perfectly. Kai studied them, feeling a couple of chills travel up his spine. Their eyes were so void of life...they looked more like machines than Zane ever had.

The three rebels stepped out into the hall. Cole and Kai struggled to keep up with Zane now, as their surroundings were fairly distracting. Upon the walls, there were multiple murals, all of them showing the Serpentine as god-like creatures standing atop humanity. It wasn't exactly pleasant to look at, but the pictures were _so_ large and _so_ impressive, Zane had to pull both the merchant and the blacksmith forward with a harsh tug.

"Now is not the time for sight seeing," Zane whispered. "We will be found and killed if we do not quicken our pace."

"Yeah, sorry," Kai apologized, nearly losing his footing as the android continued to pull him along. It felt odd, seeing murals like those. They reminded the blacksmith that what he was fighting for was not in vain. The Serpentine thought much more highly of themselves than Kai could have ever fathomed. It absolutely sickened him to the core. Kai grunted as he bumped into the back of Zane. It felt like ramming straight into a wall. "Wait, why did we stop, what's happening?"

Zane covered Kai's mouth, muffling his words. The robot motioned forward, urging Kai to look. The blacksmith did, and spotted two well armored guards standing before a large, overly decorated door. Zane then pointed to himself and to one of the guards, then repeated the same process except this time he pointed at Kai.

Kai nodded. He'd take the one on the right while Zane would silence the one on the left.

"That's the door to the throne room," Zane whispered, his voice so soft Cole had a hard time debating on whether he'd actually heard the words or not. "The Fangpyre leader awaits you Cole. Stay strong."

With a small nod from Zane, but him and the blacksmith ran towards the Serpentine. Moving too fast for the startled Serpentine, Kai slammed the hilt of his sword against the Serpentine's head. Its body went limp in an instant. On the other hand, Zane aimed his fingers directly at the Serpentine's throat, blocking all air from its lungs and causing it to pass out as well.

Cole inhaled sharply, watching with wide eyes as his companions took down the Serpentine with more ease than he had anticipated. Gathering ahold of his nerves, the merchant shot forward, sprinting in between the now unconscious guards. Despite his better judgment, Cole took a glance back towards his friends. Kai gave him a smug grin while the android just replied with a curt, confident nod.

It was all up to him now. Everyone was counting on him.

The tall, ornate door was a deep crimson with polished golden embellishments protruding outwards, like fangs. Ignoring the tugging sensation in the back of his mind that was telling him to stop, Cole kicked the door open impulsively. A loud bang echoed through the room and the raven-haired man took a quick glance around the room, surveying what lay before him.

It was more of a hall than a room. The floor was made of cold, white marble, and there was a thin red carpet that trailed all the way to the back of the room.

And there, sitting on a throne made of pure silver, sat his enemy.

The Fangpyre looked different from all the others. Instead of one head, the Serpentine had two, both with large dangerous smirks and shinning deadly eyes. "We were warned sssomeone might ssshow up at our doorssstep."

The second head nodded, eyeing Cole with a hungry look. "It will be our pleasssure to dessstroy you."

Nerves turned into adrenaline, and adrenaline turned into power. Cole closed his eyes for a second, filling his lungs with precious oxygen. When he reopened his eyes, he was calm, focused.

He was ready.

"Really? Because I think it might go the other way around..." Cole smiled, flipping his thick mane away from his eyes." This isn't going to end with you dirty Serpentine on top. Not anymore."

The Fangpyre stood tall now, one head looking bemused while the other had its reptilian eyes narrowed in utter loathing. "There isss a reassson that you pathetic humansss live the lowly livesss that you do," the angry head hissed. The light of the room reflected off of the serpent's red scales as it slithered down the carpet, slowly making its way towards Cole. "You are all powerlesss. Time for you to learn your place."

Cole's smile turned into a smug grin as he cracked the knuckles on his hands. There was no way this Serpentine was going to intimidate him. He had been chosen to help the Golden Master take back Ninjago. Backing down now was foolish and Cole knew he could do this. All of his friends were counting on him. "I don't think so," the merchant shot back, feeling his heart pounding against his chest. "You think we're lowly? You think we're weak?" He paused for a moment, staring straight ahead and making eye contact with each head of his opponent before continuing. "That will be your downfall."

He pounded his right leg against the marble floor, causing it to quiver and quake underneath him. The shock wave traveled outwards, taking the Fangpyre off guard. Struggling to keep his balance, the serpent slithered forward, its long tail trailing behind. Cole met his adversary halfway, throwing a hard punch that landed square in the creature's chest.

The Serpentine coughed, almost falling back, but its body had been trained for this. The Serpentine soon regained its balance, and it hissed at Cole's cocky face. The Serpentine unsheathed a small blade from its belt. The blade was white, and there was a light green glow emanating from it. The Fangpyre swung the blade, and Cole jumped back, evading the attack.

"One little cut from thisss and the Ssserpentine'sss strongessst poissson will pulssse through your veinsss," the head with a slightly amused expression stated.

Cole eyed the blade warily, nerves slowly spreading through his body once more. He shook the feeling away, trying to recover the focus he had felt moments before.

Taking advantage of the brief moment that Cole took to collect himself, the Fangpyre approached the merchant and raised the dagger before bringing it down in a quick, precise arc.

With reflexes even he did not know he had, Cole lifted his right arm in front of his face, hoping to try and block the weapon from penetrating his chest. _It is coated in poison_ his thoughts echoed. _Your fate is sealed_. "Maybe not," Cole breathed concentrating everything he could on his right arm. He just needed to keep his focus.

A premature chuckle escaped the second head as the blade continued its journey towards his enemy's flesh, almost as if in slow motion. _Thud_. The alabaster blade hit Cole's arm, but the Fangpyre let out a frustrated hiss as he realized what was happening. Instead of the skin he had been aiming for, his enemy's arm was coated in solid granite.

"Nice try," Cole smirked, the adrenaline in his body still giving him the strength to carry on, "but you can't cut through rock."

The Serpentine tried to attack again. And again. Both times Cole managed to protect his skin with his powerful element.

"You can't win. Not this time." Cole's smile refused to fade. Victory was his.

The merchant cloaked the rest of his hand with thick stone, trying to channel all his power and energy into this task. Once the stone was fully formed, Cole swung a punch at the Serpentine's fangs. The teeth from both of the Fangpyre's heads shattered. Cole began to smile, knowing that he'd done it. Without the fangs, the Fangpyre was nothing. He could take the staff. He could free Ninjago's people. He could-

-double over in pain.

Out of reflex, the Fangpyre had shot its arm forward, thrusting the poisoned blade into Cole's stomach. The weakened hero staggered back, fighting to recover his posture. He pulled the blade out of his body, tossing it aside and trying to cover up the wound as best as he could. Ignoring the dizzying pain, Cole pushed the Serpentine back, snatching the staff out of its hand. "S-see? You lose."

Speechless, the Fangpyre allowed the man before him to take his golden staff. He was more preoccupied with the pain that was spreading through both of his jaws. "You lossse too," he answered bitterly, his words sounding foreign and awkward as both pairs of eyes drifted towards the wound that Cole was trying to cover. "You may have won the fight, but it ssseems like you you have alssso lossst your life." It was slightly satisfying, in the serpent's eyes.

Ignoring this, Cole stumbled backwards, sucking in a large breath. He was going to be fine. He had the staff. He defeated the Fangpyre leader. Everything was good. Gritting his teeth, the merchant pushed his right shoulder against the ornate door and emerged back into the room where his two friends were waiting for him.

"You did it," Kai laughed slightly, unable to hide the joy on his face. Cole had actually done it! The Fangpyre staff was tight in his friend's grip. "I can't believe you did it!" Standing and running over towards the merchant, Kai went to give him a hug. Then he noticed the shaking. "Cole? A-Are you okay?"

The merchant did not answer. He simply collapsed to his knees in silence, the staff slipping from his hands.


End file.
